Roots and Root System

Roots are one of the essential parts of a plant. It absorbs water and dissolved nutrients from the soil and transports it to the different parts of the plant. Also, one of its important roles is to anchor or hold the plant in place so that it does not fall over.

There are two types of root systems, the taproot and fibrous root system. Taproot system forms when the primary root or the first root of a plant grows directly down into the soil and becomes the main root, where the secondary roots branch off.  Most di-cotyledons such as beans and carrots have taproots.

A fibrous root system forms when the primary root is replaced by a number of roots, all of similar thickness. These roots look like a mass of fibers growing into the soil in all directions. Monocotyledons such as grasses and corn have fibrous roots.

Taproots are deep-rooted than the fibrous roots. By understanding the nature of the roots, the farmers and gardeners are able to transport plants in different areas without damaging the plant. Plants with fibrous roots are easier to transplant because they have many roots and, if some are damaged, they can rely on others to absorb water and nutrients.

Plants with taproots are far more difficult to transplant because they rely solely on one root and that root often penetrates deep into the ground, making it very difficult to remove without severely damaging it.

One way of determining if a plant has taproot or fibrous roots is through their leaf veins pattern. If it has netted venation of netted patterns on the leaf veins, it is classified as taproot. On the other hand, if it has parallel venation or the leaf veins pattern are going to one direction (parallel to the midrib of the leaf.)

Most plants have roots, but there are some exceptions like the bryophytes and the groups of green algae that are classified as plants.

Bryophytes have root-like structures called rhizoids for absorbing water, but because rhizoids lack vascular tissue they are not considered roots.