special tissues in plants transport materials throughout the plant & xylem is a kind of special tissue in vascular plants ->  xylem transports materials through the plant  water is a kind of material & a plants / living things require water for survival / to grow ->  water is a kind of material that is required for plants' survival  xylem transports materials through the plant & water is a kind of material that is required for plants' survival -> xylem transports water that is required by plants