Woody tissue is a term typically used in biology to describe the hard, dense tissue found in trees and other woody plants. However, there are numerous alternative terms that can be used to describe this type of tissue, including xylem, secondary growth, lignified tissue, and sclerenchyma. Xylem refers specifically to the part of the woody tissue that transports water and nutrients throughout the plant, while secondary growth refers to the process through which the plant increases its diameter and produces more woody tissue. Lignified tissue and sclerenchyma both refer more generally to the dense, durable nature of the tissue, and are often used to describe the structural strength of plants.