Region of plant cell wall specialised to act as a seal to prevent back leakage of secreted material (analogous to tight junction between epithelial cells). Found particularly where root parenchymal cells secrete solutes into xylem vessels. The barrier is composed of suberin; a fatty substance, containing long chain fatty acids and fatty esters, also found in the cell walls of cork cells (phellem) in higher plants.
Casparian strip