In the vascular region of the stem of Hoya carnosa, a column of sclereids can be found, and in the pith of stems of Hoya and Podocarpus groups of sclereids can be found. These are sclereids with thick cell walls and numerous pits, resembling adjacent parenchyma cells. This resemblance suggests that these sclereids are originally parenchyma cells, but are so sclerified that they are now sclereid cells rather than parenchyma cells.