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In most plants, but not all, the roots
are the part of the plant that is below the surface
of the ground. In the case of hydroponically grown plants,
the roots are below the surface of
the water. Some roots grow above the ground and some
poke up into the air from the ground.
Roots play two very critical roles in plants. Roots
provide an anchor for the plant, keeping them upright
and enabling plants to grow tall and wide. The second,
and even more important function, is the absorption
of nutrients and water from the ground. In addition
to absorbing nutrients, roots also act as food storage
containers.
Types of Roots
Below are all the different types of root
structures found in plants with a brief
description of the type. In time we will expand this
section and go into more detail about plant roots.
Adventitious
Roots that develop from any part of the plant other
than the radicle
are considered adventitious. The most common
place for these types of roots to develop are other
old roots, but they can also grow out from stems and
leaves.
Aerial
Quite simply, aerial roots are above ground
growing roots. Aerial roots are found in several different
types of plants. Some examples of plants with aerial
roots are poison ivy, mangrove trees, and orchids.
Fibrous
A fibrous root system consists of very thin
roots branching out from the stem. As mentioned, these
roots are thin, but are usually very strong. Common
weeds are a good example of a plant with a fibrous root
system.
Fleshy
Roots that are larger in diameter and soft to the touch
are called fleshy roots. Fleshy roots normally
store more nutrients for the plant than other root types.
Haustorial
Plants with haustorial roots tend to suck the life
out of plants around them. Haustorial roots
spread out to invade other plants' root system and depletes
them of nutrients.
Primary
The primary root is also called the radicle.
The primary root is the first root to emerge from the
seed during germination.
Secondary
As you can imagine, secondary roots grow off of the
radicle, or primary root (see above). Secondary
roots are also often called branch roots.
Taproot
A taproot is a primary root (see above) that grows
downward into the ground, and tapers as it gets deeper.
As the main root, it creates a central root from which
others can grow. Examples of plants with a taproot
are dandelions, radishes and carrots.
Tuberous
Tuberous roots are thick, soft and usually more round
in shape than long. They contain more storage tissue
than most roots. Sweet potatoes are prime examples of
plants with tuberous roots.
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