ROOTS

Most plants have roots, but some do not. The main function of roots is to obtain nutrients & water from the soil. Roots also anchor & support plants on the earth or other surface. Roots can store nutrients & water (tubers). Many times the below ground structure of a plant is larger than its above ground portion.

WATER UPTAKE

Roots seek out water in the soil & absorb it through osmosis. Plants have developed strategies to maximize their water uptake. Some plants have fibrous shallow roots that absorb moisture close to the surface. Other plants have deep taproots that seek out water at depth. Still some plants have a combination of both.

FIBROUS ROOTS

Monocots & many herbaceous plants have fibrous roots. The roots are thin & cordlike originating from the base of the plants stem. Fibrous roots are tough & deceptively strong. These roots are often shallow to absorb water quickly at the surface.

TAP ROOTS

Many dicots, woody plants, & even some herbaceous plants have this type of root system. These plants tap into the groundwater at depth in the soil. Some plants (especially in deserts) have evolved both shallow roots to absorb rainfall & taproots to obtain water at depth.