Morphology of Flowering Plants

ROOT SYSTEM

LECTURE 1
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Morphology of Flowering Plants
ROOT SYSTEM

LECTURE 1
MORPHOLOGY OF FLOWERING PLANTS
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Parts of a Flowering Plant

➢ It has a long cylindrical plant axis which bears a number of lateral appendages.
 Parts of Flowering Plants

Plant Axis

Root System Shoot System

➢ Below ground. ➢ Above ground.

➢ Usually brown. ➢ At least partly greenish
➢ Develops from radicle part ➢ Develops from plumule
of embryo. part of embryo.
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Root System

➢ It consists of root and its branches.

 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Shoot System

➢ Stem and its branches.

➢ Leaves.
➢ Flowers
➢ Fruits and seeds.
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Plant Organs

➢ Different structures borne on plant axis.

Plant Organs

Vegetative Organs Reproductive Organs

 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Plant Organs

Vegetative Organs Reproductive Organs

➢ Involved in nutrition, ➢ Involved in formation of

growth and maintenance new plants.
of life activities. ➢ Flowers, fruits, seeds
➢ Root, stem, leaves.
MORPHOLOGY OF ROOT
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Root

➢ It is typically a non green underground, cylindrical part of plant.

➢ It anchors plant to soil.
➢ It doesn’t possess nodes, leaves or buds.
➢ It takes part in water and mineral absorption.
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Characteristics of Root

➢ Typically, there is a main or tap root, its branches or secondary / tertiary roots.
➢ Finer root branches are called rootlets.
➢ Tip of root is covered by root cap.
➢ Root hair are fine unicellular outgrowths behind root tip.
➢ Roots are negatively phototropic and positively hydrotropic and geotropic.
 Parts of a Typical Root

Root cap.

Region of cell division (meristematic zone).

Region of Elongation.

Region of maturation (Root hair zone).

Region of mature cells.

 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Root Cap (Calyptra)

➢ Thimble shaped or cap like

structure.
➢ Its cells secrete mucilage which
lubricates passage of root
through soil.
➢ It protects root meristem from
friction.
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Root Cap (Calyptra)

➢ It cells have starch grains which takes part in graviperception.

➢ Its outer cells are continuously peeled off and replaced by new cells formed from
root meristem.
➢ Root cap maybe

Simple (Ficus benghalensis) or Banyan

Multiple (Pandanus foetidus) or Screw pine

 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Root Pocket

➢ Many aquatic plants possess elongated loose cap called root pocket.
➢ Injured root pocket is not replaced.
➢ Root pockets function as balancers.
➢ Examples: Pistia stratiotes, Lemna trisulca.
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Meristematic Zone

➢ It is subterminal and lies

protected below the root
cap.
➢ Its cells undergo repeated
cell division to produce new
cells for root cap and basal
region of root.
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Elongation Zone

➢ It has newly formed cells

which lose the power of
division.
➢ These elongate rapidly and
increase length of root.
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Maturation Zone

➢ Also called zone of differentiation.

➢ Primary tissues differentiate / mature in this region (xylem, phloem, pericycle etc).
➢ Most of the water absorption occurs in this region.
➢ This zone has lateral tubular outgrowths called Root hair.
➢ Root hair are non permanent structures.
➢ Aquatic roots do not bear root hair.
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Zone of Mature Cells

➢ It forms bulk of root.

➢ Outermost layer of this region
has thick walled cells.
➢ It anchors plants firmly in soil.
➢ Lateral roots arise from this
region.
ROOT SYSTEM
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Root System

➢ The complex formed by all roots of a plant is called root system.

➢ Three types of root systems are found in nature:
○ Tap root system.
○ Fibrous root system.
○ Adventitious root system.
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Root Systems

Tap Root System Fibrous Root System Adventitious Root System

➢ Primary root formed ➢ Primary root is short ➢ Found in both dicots

from radicle persists. lived. and monocots.
➢ More common in ➢ Prevalent in ➢ Develop from any
dicots. monocots. part of plant other
than radicle.
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Tap Root System

➢ It develops from primary root and its branches.

➢ It includes:
○ Primary Root.
○ Secondary Roots.
○ Tertiary Roots.
○ Rootlets (These bear root caps and root hair).
 Tap Root System

Primary or Tap Root

➢ It develops by direct growth of radicle.

➢ It is persistent and forms dominant central axis.
➢ It is thickest of all roots.
➢ It grows downwards into soil and tapers into apex.
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Tap Root System

Deep Feeder System Surface Feeder System

➢ It is spread vertically downwards. ➢ It is spread horizontally in soil.

➢ Tap root is longest and secondary
roots are shorter.
➢ It is also called racemose tap root
system.
➢ It is found in trees (Eucalyptus,
Pinus).
➢ Tap root does not grow very deep.
➢ Secondary roots are elongated and
spread horizontally.
➢ It is also called cymose tap root
system.
➢ It is found in annual plants and some
shrubs of dry areas.
 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Tap Root System

Deep Feeder System Surface Feeder System

MODIFICATIONS OF TAP ROOTS
Morphology of Flowering Plants

Modifications of Tap Roots

Food Storage

Respiration

Nitrogen Fixation

Reproduction
 Modifications of Tap Roots

Food Storage

➢ Tap root becomes fleshy and swollen due to storage of food.

➢ Secondary roots remain thin.

Fusiform Conical Napiform Tuberous

 Food Storage

Fusiform

➢ Storage root is like a spindle i.e. narrow towards base as well as apex.
➢ Secondary and tertiary roots are developed.
➢ Example: Raddish (Raphanus sativus).
 Food Storage

Conical

➢ Storage root is broad at the base and gradually tapers towards apex.
➢ Thin secondary roots appear as small threads.
➢ Example: Carrot (Daucus carota).
 Food Storage

Napiform

➢ Storage root is top-like with globular body that tapers suddenly in apical regions.
➢ Example: Turnip (Brassica rapa), Beet (Beta vulgaris).
 Food Storage

Tuberous / Tubercular

➢ These roots get swollen in any portion and do not have a regular shape.
➢ Example: 4 O’clock plant (Mirabilis jalapa).
 Modifications of Tap Roots

Respiration

➢ Respiratory roots are also called pneumatophores.

➢ These are upright aerial and negatively geotropic roots.
➢ These grow vertically above the soil or water.
 Modifications of Tap Roots

Respiration

➢ The apices of these roots have many pores called pneumathodes or lenticels
through which air is conducted.
➢ These are present in mangrove plants growing in swampy areas.
➢ Examples: Sonneratia, Avicennia, Heritiera.
 Modifications of Tap Roots

Nitrogen Fixation

➢ In nodulated roots, the nodules (tubercle) are formed on main root as well as branches.
➢ Nodules are internally pink in colour but appear creamish externally.
➢ Nodules contain large number of nitrogen fixing bacteria (Rhizobium leguminosarum).
➢ These are present in pulses and legumes.
➢ Examples: Pea (Pisum sativum), Groundnut (Arachis hypogea).
 Modifications of Tap Roots

Reproduction

➢ In some plants, the tap roots or the branches develop adventitious buds for
formation of new plants.
➢ Example: Shishum (Dalbergia sissoo).
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