Virtuаl Lаb - Micrоscоpy – Plаnt Cells (Oniоn Epidermal Cells) In plant cells such as Elodea cells, chloroplasts are typically present. However, onion cells often lack chloroplasts. This is because onions are storage organs that do not perform photosynthesis; instead, they store nutrients. Elodea, being a green aquatic plant, needs chloroplasts to perform photosynthesis, so it contains them.