Root. Types of plant roots and their functions

Higher plants differ from the lower ones in that their bodies are clearly differentiated into organs. They are more highly organized, have complexly arranged conductive systems and tissues. There is no limit to their variety.

Adapting to different habitats, they were forced to form unusual structures in their structure. Modify, upgrade and adapt some parts of the body to get more chances for a comfortable existence. Most of all, this affected the roots of plants.

Organs of higher plants

All of them can be divided into two groups:

• Ground;
• Underground.

The first should include a stem, leaves, a flower and a fruit. To the second - the root system with all the elements that make up its composition. At first glance it seems erroneous that there are very few of them, because it's just a root. Plant organs are quite complex structures, so external simplicity is deceptive. This applies to all parts of the body.

Underground root organ: types of roots

The roots of plants can be different both in color, and in shape, length, branching. In total, there are three main types of root types. The name of the root species is as follows.

1. Chief . This is the main axial root, which most deeply goes under the ground. As a rule, it is thicker than the rest and longer. He takes his origin from the embryonic root. It contains the main conductive and suction zones, through which substances are transported to the stem of the plant, and from the latter are carried throughout the body.
2. Additive . These structures depart directly from the main root and branch out, increasing the total mass of the entire system. Their function, as well as the main one, consists in absorbing substances and keeping the plant in the ground.
3. Lateral . These elements are thin hairlike roots, which depart from the accessory structures. Their thickness is sometimes only one to two millimeters. Different types of roots are not the same in number, but it is the lateral ones in the general mass that dominate this index.

Thus, terrestrial plants are characterized by three types of roots, which in whole organic combination form whole systems.

Types of Root Systems

What are the types of roots, we found out. Now it remains to understand the question of the systems they have formed. There are basically two types.

1. The core . Characteristic for the class Monocotyledonous plants (cereals, lily, palm and others). The main distinguishing feature: pronounced main root and weakly - accessory and lateral.
2. Uterine . Characteristic for the class Dicotyledonous plants (rosaceous, cruciferous, leguminous and so on). A feature that the root has: the kinds of roots are expressed to the same extent. There is no main thing, since the subordinate and lateral branching by its branching is suppressed, and a general strongly rugged structure is formed.

More variants of root systems are not known.

Varieties of altered structures

We examined what kinds of roots there are. But there are also their changed forms. That is, when the main, lateral and accessory roots are transformed into a somewhat different form, which helps the plant adapt to certain conditions of life.

The types of modified roots are as follows:

• roots;
• Hooks;
• Stilted;
• Root tubers;
• Air;
• Root cones;
• Retractors;
• Root-support;
• Respiratory;
• Roots-suckers.

In some tropical species, certain narrowly specific transformations of the root system are distinguished. We will consider the most interesting and common options.

Air Roots

Plants with aerial roots are inhabitants of such places in which the soil is poor in moisture and oxygen. It can be saline land or excessively acidic (alkaline). Therefore, such individuals categorically lack oxygen. To capture and absorb it additionally, they adapted as follows.

Their lateral roots rise above the ground and in this way absorb moisture and oxygen directly from the surrounding air. Look plants with modified roots is very unusual, sometimes even frightening. If the air roots are formed too much, then the tree looks very voluminous, bushy and somehow a bit fabulous.

In ancient times, plants with similar characteristics were attributed various magical properties, because they looked really mystical. Representatives include the following types:

• Orchids, including ornamental houseplants;
• Some types of ficus ;
• Metrosiderosy;
• Thickets of mangrove trees ;
• Lianas;
• Monsters and others.

Stilted roots

Obviously, support is the main function that the root performs. The types of roots that are altered appendages of the basic structures can also serve for this purpose. Stable roots are a typical example. They are formed in plants that grow:

• In dense and viscous ooze;
• Coastal zones (bands), where they are submerged in water;
• In the sandy soil.

They are very important, because they begin to grow from the stem. In this way the organism is strengthened in the earth. Numerous hard and sturdy stilts attach generally to the plant stability and promote dense rooting.

Examples of organisms for which such structures are characteristic, it is possible to result such:

• maize;
• Mangroves;
• Pandanus;
• Malayan tree;
• Some types of palm trees;
• Avicenium;
• Nip;
• Rhizophore;
• Cork tree and others.

In general, plants with similar roots have the appearance of an organism, as if standing on stilts. Sometimes they look like a tent, in other cases it just gives the impression of a multifaceted powerful trunk.

Roots-props

There are many amazing things about which science tells biology. Types of roots in some plants are so ridiculous and unrealistic that it is difficult to imagine their naturalness.

For example, there are such varieties of these organs, as pillar-shaped, or root-props. Their main purpose is to provide the plant with not only additional support and stability, but also air supply. Like air, they are also able to fix atmospheric oxygen from the air.

Thus, it turns out that pillar-shaped modifications are a combination of air and stilted roots. Plants that are characterized by such structures are:

• Elastic ficus;
• Banyans;
• Some tropical trees.

Features of the formation of such roots is that they arise from horizontal branches and then grow down to the ground. Having reached it, they take root and become reliable additional support. And since they are above the ground, the second function - the absorption of oxygen - is carried out successfully.

Roots

This modification is known to everyone, because it is we grow it in suburban areas. The plants with such structures have the most succulent and nutritious root. The types of roots of such a change can be:

• Tubers;
• roots.

Root tubers are formed from the accessory roots and lateral roots. They accumulate a large number of nutrients, which allows the plant to accelerate vegetation and feel more protected when adverse conditions occur. Examples of plants:

• artichoke;
• nasturtium;
• potatoes;
• Ground pear;
• begonia;
• Caladium;
• Diascaret;
• Water lily and others.

Roots, although they contain the word "fruit" in the name, but have nothing to do with these organs. This is the thickened main root of the plant, in which there is an accumulation of a large mass of nutrients, pigments, vitamins and so on.

Examples of such plants are the most popular:

• celery;
• carrot;
• beet;
• parsley;
• chicory;
• Radish;
• Parsnip and others.

These crops are among the most popular cultivated plants. They are prepared, used for the preparation of medicines, they are made from them vitamins.

What functions does the root of the plant do?

The answer to this question has already been touched upon in the course of the article. It only remains to sum up and summarize all that has been said, in order to clearly indicate the answer to the question: "What functions does the root of the plant perform?"

1. Anchor, or fixing.
2. The absorption and transport of mineral compounds and water.
3. Modifications serve to fix and store nutrients.
4. The root is the organ of reproduction in a vegetative way.
5. It is the formation of vitamins, hormones, pigments.
6. The root enters into a symbiotic relationship with bacteria and fungi.

Specific modifications of the roots serve for different functional adaptations. We already talked about them when considering each specific example.