Root Anatomy and
Specialized Roots
The Roots:
Definition and
Classification
1. Tap root
Types of
root 2. Fibrous root system
system
Adventitious roots
Root C.S.
Regions
Epidermis Cortex Stele
5
Root C.S.
6
Internal
Structures
of the Root
in Cross � Regions:
Section 1. Epidermis
Smilax root
•Exodermis
• subepidermal cortical cells
•Velamen
• some epiphytic orchids
2. Cortex
Root C.S.
11
3. Stele (Vascular
cylinder)
Two routes for water
uptake in the root cortex
� Symplastic pathway
� Apoplastic pathway
:
Lateral root
Types of stele
Two basic types:
• A. Protostele
- central core of xylem completely surrounded by phloem; simplest and
most primitive
Xylem is plate like
arranged parallel
Central solid core to each other;
of xylem each plate is
Surrounded by surrounded by
phloem; most phloem
primitive
Central core of xylem with
radiating ribs(star shaped)
surrounded by phloem; more
advance than haplostele
Selaginella root c.s.
protostele - haplostele
Fern root: Protostele - haplostele
B. Siphonostele
- Consist of a central pith with surrounding xylem
- Stem of fern, gymnosperm, dicots and roots of monocots
Subtypes:
a. Ectophloic – the phloem surrounds the xylem
externally
- Eustele – vascular bundle surrounds the pith;
dicot stem
- Atactostele – scattered vascular bundles; monocot
stem
b. Amphiphloic
– the phloem surrounds the xylem both externally and
internally
- Solenostele – the whole vascular tissue is continuous
forming a cylinder
- interrupted by leaf gaps
- Dictyostele – the vascular tissues are arranged in
bundles
Legend:
Light blue – phloem
violet - xylem
Fern rhizome - amphiphloic solenostele
Types of Xylem
Development
(Maturation)
•exarch the protoxylem strands are
external to the metaxylem and the
metaxylem differentiates centripetally
(from the outside in)
•endarch the protoxylem is internal to
metaxylem and development
prodeeds centrifugally (from the inside
out)
� Dicot (Ranunculus root)
Internal ● with a smaller stele
differences ● pith is absent (protostelic)
between
● xylem occur with several arms
dicot and radiating from the center
monocot (actinostelic)
roots ● number of xylem arms expressed
as monarch, diarch, triarch, tetrach,
pentarch or polyarch
● phloem found between xylem arms
● with vascular cambium layer
between xylem and phloem
� Monocot (Zea mays root)
● with bigger stele
● pith is present (siphonostelic)
● xylem cells are situated radially
(eustele)
● phloem found outside of xylem
tissue
● without vascular cambium
Root L.S.
Regions
Meristematic Region of Region of
Root cap
Region Elongation Maturation
42
Regions
Internal � Root cap - cap of parenchyma cells
Anatomy of covering the meristematic region
a Young function: protects the meristematic
Root in cells from mechanical injury,
Longitudinal lubricates the path of rootlets
Sect. through the soil.
� Meristematic region –produces
new cells by mitosis and contributes
to the growth of the root in length
● cells are small, thin walled and
cubical in form.
Region of elongation – located
above the meristematic region
• - cells undergo rapid enlargement in the
longitudinal direction.
• - In this region, cell walls increases in
length, new protoplasm is formed and
vacuoles increase in size.
Region of maturation – located
above the region of elongation
• - the cells undergo differentiation of
structures, some being transformed
into parenchyma cells, xylem
cells, phloem cells etc.
• - root hairs are produced in this region.
a. Absorption
● Performed by root hairs in the
zone of maturation
● Water enters the root via two
pathways:
• Apoplast – via intercellular
Root spaces and the cell wall
General • Symplast – movement
across the cell membrane
Function and into the cytoplasm of
the cell
* Casparian strip – ensures
that water and nutrients
enter the stele via the
symplast pathway
b. anchorage organs
� this function is aided by the ff. structural features:
● branching of many lateral roots from a tap root
● development of many adventitious roots in fibrous root
● growth of root hairs in young roots
● heavily suberized epidermis
c. Conduction of
water and minerals
as well as
photosynthate
products
Specialized Roots
Contractile roots
� herbaceous dicots and many
bulbous and cormous monocots
(Gladiolus, ginseng, dandelion)
� outer wrinkled appearance
� pull the shoot closer to the
ground or deeper into the soil.
● shortening of the root by
expansion and contraction
of cortical cells.
Storage roots
� thick cortex where starch are
stored
� fleshiness is a result of the
excessive development of
parenchyma
� Types:
● Food storage roots
● Water storage roots
Food
storage
roots (ex.
sweet
potato, yam,
carrots)
Water storage roots
Ex. manroot (Marah sp.)
water-storage root that
weighed over 25.3
kilograms (60 pounds)
Propagative
roots
• Produce adventitious buds
that grow near the surface of
the ground
• Buds may develop into aerial
stems (suckers) with
additional rootlets
• Suckers may be
separated from the
original root and grown
individually
• Ex. cherry, apple , pears
(fruit trees)
� roots from the stem or
branches which remain
free in the air
Aerial Types:
roots � prop roots – roots grow
downward into the soil
� climbing/adhesive roots –
attach to solid objects
Climbing/adhesive roots
- Roots attach to
solid objects Hedera helix
(climbing ivy; Family
Araliaceae )
Prop roots: roots that grow downward into the soil
(ex. sugar cane, corn)
Banyan tree –
prop roots
In the aerial roots of the orchid:
� cortical cells have
chloroplast ; photosynthetic
organ.
� absorption of water is
accomplished by the
velamen,
� velamen contain passage
cells through which water
may be absorbed
� with pneumathodes for gas
exchange during periods
when roots are saturated
with moisture
Pneumatophores
- erect, aerial projections of water submerged roots
- exposed root is covered by cork tissue with numerous
lenticels
- cortex with large air spaces which act as air reservoir
- present in plants living on swamps where the soil is
periodically flooded and lacking in oxygen
function:
serves for gas
exchange
Ex. Mangrove trees
Buttress roots
� roots with asymmetrical
secondary thickening
� with greater fiber tissues
than parenchyma or
vessels
� function:
● for added support
Parasitic roots:
Haustoria
• roots that connect to the host plant
and serves as channels for nutrient
flow
• the root tip penetrates the vascular
tissue of the host plant where it
derives nourishment
• ex. Dodder (Cuscuta) – a parasitic
flowering plant
vascular
tissue
Cuscuta sp.
(parasitic plant)
Haustoriu
m
Host plant
Mycorrhizae/mycorrhiza
� refers to the symbiotic association between
fungus and the young roots of higher plants
● Importance:
• Aid the roots in absorbing nutrients from the
soil.
• Increase the resistance of the plant to
pathogenic infections
• Make the host plant less susceptible to drought.
Mycorrhiza
on roots
Types of
mycorrhizae
A. ectotrophic mycorrhizae
• Mycorrhizae penetrates the root
cortex but fungal hyphae do not
enter the cells
• Hyphae forms an encrusting layer
called the mantle
• Found in trees ex. pines and
oaks
B. endotrophic
mycorrhizae
• The hyphae invades the cell of
the cortex
• Found in many woody and
herbaceous plants
Endotrophic mycorrhizae
Ectotrophic
mycorrhizae
Root nodule
formation
� result of symbiotic
relationship between
the bacterium
Rhizobium and the
roots of legume
� important for nitrogen
fixation of the host
plant
Nitrogen’s triple bond
� Although the majority of the
air we breathe is N2, most of
the nitrogen in the
atmosphere is unavailable for
use by organisms.
� This is because the strong
triple bond between the N
atoms in N2 molecules makes
it relatively inert (like a noble
gas).
Nitrogen Fixation
Root Internal Anatomy in
Different Vascular Plants
� Pinus root
� Fern root
� Equisetum root
� Lycopodium root
•Pinus root anatomy
•Representative
species: Pinus kesiya
•(Benguet pine)
(I). Epidermis
-with root hairs (seen only in young roots)
- may contain mycorrhizae
(II). Cortex
- thick and parenchymatous
- with endodermis and pericycle layers that
separates the cortex from the stele
(III). Stele
•protostele: actinostele
•Diarch or triarch xylem arms
•xylem: only tracheids, no vessel elements
present
•phloem tissue: composed of sieve cells,
albuminous cells and phloem parenchyma cells.
• resin ducts are associated with xylem
tissue
• phloem alternates with the xylem arms
• a narrow vascular cambium exists
between the xylem and the phloem.
Diarch - two xylem arms composed of tracheids (T), each
xylem arm is associated with a resin duct (RD). Phloem (P)
alternates with the xylem arms. A narrow vascular cambium
(CZ) exists between the xylem and the phloem.
Legend:
RD (resin duct); Per (pericycle); En (endodermis);
CZ (cambial zone); T (tracheids); P (phloem)
Protostele -
actinostele
Fern root
anatomy
Representative species:
Pteridum aquilinum
(bracken fern)
(I) Epidermis:
•single layer
•some cells grow to form
unicellular root hairs
(II) Cortex:
• differentiated into two zones:
• A. outer zone - compose of thin
walled parenchyma cells
• B. inner zone - thick walled,
sclerenchyma with lignin
• completely surrounds the stele for
mechanical support to the root
• endodermis with Casparian strips
followed by one or two layers of
pericycle cells
(II) Stele: protostele – actinostele; diarch and exarch
- metaxylem plate in the center with protoxylem at each
end
- phloem arranged on either side of the xylem plate.
Equisetum root anatomy
Representative species:
Equisetum arvense
(common horsetail)
I. Epidermis
• Outermost layer with root
hairs
II. Cortex
• thick and multi-layered
• A. outer zone - thick
exodermis/hypodermis
(lignified sclerenchyma)
• B. inner zone -
parenchymatous with
many intercellular spaces
• Endodermis is two-layered
• Pericycle is absent.
III. Stele
• protostele- actinostele
• triarch or tetrarch
• metaxylem tracheid
located at the center
• protoxylem groups
towards the periphery
• phloem in between the
arms of protoxylem
Lycopodium root
anatomy
Representative species:
Lycopodium clavatum
(common clubmoss)
I. Epidermis gives rise to many
root hairs.
II. Cortex
• Several layers of cells
• A. outer layer with lignified
sclerenchyma for support
• B. inner layer is
parenchymatous
• no endodermis and pericycle
III. Stele
• protostele –actinostele
• monarch (young roots),
diarch or triarch (older roots)
with one, two or three
protoxylem groups
• xylem is C- or U-shaped
having the protoxylem at the
tips of the ‘C’ or ‘U’
• phloem is located between
the xylem arms.
Any questions?
End of Presentation