phloem

/ˌfloʊˈɛm/

In plants, the phloem is part of the system that carries nutrients everywhere they're needed. The phloem of trees is located just underneath the bark.

Phloem is a type of plant tissue that resembles tiny tubes and ensures that every part of the plant — including its seeds, fruit, and roots — receives the sugar made during photosynthesis. Phloem, which is usually just inside the stem or bark, is named for a root word that means "bark." If you tap a maple tree for syrup, you'll drill holes through the bark and into the phloem, allowing the sugars (in the form of syrup) to flow out.

Definitions of phloem

1. noun

   (botany) tissue that conducts synthesized food substances (e.g., from leaves) to parts where needed; consists primarily of sieve tubes
   synonyms: bast

   type of:

   vascular tissue

   tissue that conducts water and nutrients through the plant body in higher plants