Root

In vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant that typically lies below the surface of the soil. However, this is not always the case, a root can also be aerial (growing above the ground) or aerating (growing up above the ground or especially above water). Furthermore, a stem normally occurring below ground is not exceptional either (see rhizome). So, it is better to define root as a part of a plant body that bears no leaves, and therefore also lacks nodes. There are also important internal structural differences between stems and roots.

The first root that comes from a plant is called the radicle. The four major functions of roots are 1) absorption of water and inorganic nutrients, 2) anchoring of the plant body to the ground, and supporting it, 3) storage of food and nutrients, 4) vegetative reproduction. In response to the concentration of nutrients, roots also synthesise cytokinin, which acts as a signal as to how fast the shoots can grow. Roots often function in storage of food and nutrients. The roots of most vascular plant species enter into symbiosis with certain fungi to form mycorrhizas, and a large range of other organisms including bacteria also closely associate with roots.

Read more about Root:  Anatomy, Root Growth, Types of Roots, Rooting Depths, Rooting Depth Records, Root Architecture, Evolutionary History, Economic Importance

Other articles related to "root":

Elisha K. Root
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Root Races, Epochs and Sub-races - The Second Root Race (Hyperborean)
... The second root race lived in Hyperborea ... The second root race was colored golden yellow ... The second root race has no present-day descendents ...
Root, New York - Communities and Locations in Root
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Root Race
... Root races are stages in human evolution in the esoteric cosmology of theosophist Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, as described in her book The Secret Doctrine (1888) ... Master Samael Aun Weor confirmed the existence of the Root Races, elaborating various facts throughout his works ...
Root Races, Epochs and Sub-races
... According to Blavatsky's writings, there will be seven root races assembled for our Earth each root race is divided into seven subraces ... Only five root races have appeared so far the sixth is expected to emerge in the 28th century ... Samael Aun Weor writes that the sixth root race is named Koradhi Francis Bacon (which theosophy considers as the same Count of St ...

Famous quotes containing the word root:

    In dark places and dungeons the preacher’s words might perhaps strike root and grow, but not in broad daylight in any part of the world that I know.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    I will go root away
    The noisome weeds which without profit suck
    The soil’s fertility from wholesome flowers.
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

    Better extirpate the whole breed, root and branch. And this, unless the German people come to their senses, is what we propose to do.
    Gertrude Atherton (1857–1948)