plastids

Plastids are small structures (organelles) inside plant cells that help the plant make or store food and give colour to different plant parts.

• Plastids are usually found in the cytoplasm of plant cells, and they come in different types depending on the job they do.
• Chloroplasts are the most well-known plastids. They contain chlorophyll, which traps sunlight so the plant can make food by photosynthesis.
• Some plastids are used mainly for storage:
  • Amyloplasts store starch (common in potatoes and rice grains).
  • Other plastids can store oils or proteins in seeds.
• Chromoplasts are plastids that contain coloured pigments (other than green), helping make fruits and flowers look red, yellow, or orange—like tomatoes and carrots.
• A helpful way to remember: plastids are like a plant cell’s “kitchen and store-room”—some make food (chloroplasts) and some store it or add colour.

Because animals do not photosynthesise and do not need these food-making/storage pigment units in the same way, plastids are not found in most animal cells.