Roots and root systems

Tissues of the root

Epidermis
Cortex
Parenchyma
Endodermis
Stele
Pericycle
Xylem
Phloem
Pith
Origin
embryonic origin - RAM
adventitious – not from embryo, but from
other organs, e.g. stem, (pericycle,
endodermis), leaf, etc.
The first vascular
plants lacked roots, During their evolution, functions such
absorption of water as anchorage, absorption, and
and minerals transport of minerals and water and
facilitated by storage of photosynthate were
rhizoids established.

In some ways, roots changed

relatively little thru time. They
were not exposed to the same
intense selection pressures as
stems.

Roots are
always multicellular
Origin and structure of the root

Root hairs
RAM
 MAJOR STRUCTURAL ADAPTATIONS OF ROOTS :
RELATED TO THEIR FUNCTIONS:

1. As plants increased in size, problem of anchorage became

important: reflected in root structure, most large plants have tap
root systems that develop directly from the radicle in the embryo,
smaller plants with fibrous root systems have small roots spread out
laterally.

2. As adaptations to the function: roots have absorptive root hairs,

Casparian strips in endodermis that prevent backflow of nutrients thru
apoplast and out of the vascular tissue
3. A subepidermal exodermis- similar
in structure to endodermis- restrict
apoplastic water loss from roots during
conditions of drought

4. Mycorrhizal associations facilitate

absorption of nutrients esp.
phosphorus in mineral-deficient
regions
Exodermis - similar epidermis
to endodermis.
Exodermis
restricts apoplastic
has suberin
water loss.
lamella.
Prevents ions in the
soil solution from
moving
thru the apoplast
of exodermis into
the cortex.
xylem

phloem

tetrach
Primary growth
from RAM
 ROOT CAP
1. protective function - covers the apical meristem

*As new root cap cells are continually produced by the meristem,
they gradually move to the periphery and ultimately sloughed off.

*When they are near the periphery, they become secretory cells
(secrete mucilage).

Golgi vesicles containing the mucilage fuse with plasma membrane

of cells in the outer part of the root cap. Mucilage is released into the
cell wall, then thru the cell wall migrates to the exterior and coats the
root tip.
- protection
- prevent entry of toxic substances
- facilitate exchange of ions
 2. act as perceptors of gravity (statocytes)

Apical
initial

Root cap
Sedimented
Sedimented nucleus
Amyloplastid
(statoliths)
in statocytes (cells)-
Vertically grown root of Equisetum Statoliths- sensors of gravity
 Longitudinal section of root grown horizontally.

Nucleus Amyloplasts sedimented

toward periclinal walls
A chemical signal – a growth hormone produced in the
statocyte is transferred to the region of elongation in the root
result to higher concentration in the lower part of the root than
its upper part.
Roots with mycorrhizal associations
 Zone of
differentiation
and
maturation

Zone of elongation

Zone of cell division

A. Apical meristem
Primary meristems
protoderm
procambium
ground meristem
 phloem
Xylem arm

pith
Note thickened parts of
Cell walls in
endodermis
Radial wall
Tangential wall
Phloem

protoxylem

metaxylem
Corn root

Parenchyma
of cortex

endodermis
pericycle
phloem
protoxylem
metaxylem
Casparian strips
extends through the walls of
contiguous cells.

Plasmalemma or plasma
membrane of each cell is
tightly attached to the
Casparian band
As concentration of ions in solution increases to the inside of the
endodermis, the Casparian strips, impermeable to the passage of
small molecules prevent the diffusion of ions out of the apoplast
within the vascular column through the transverse and radial walls of
the endodermal cells.
Lateral root primordia
continue to develop and
grow out through the
cortex and ruptures
through the epidermis. It
has the appearance of a
fully developed root by
the time it emerges.
 Lateral roots have an
endogenous origin in the
pericycle.

1. A group of pericycle cells

opposite the xylem poles
undergo periclinal and anticlinal
divisions (see A and B to left).
Cell divisions continue to form a
root primordia.

2. The endodermis divides by

anticlinal divisions opposite initial
site in pericyle to form a
protective covering over the
young root primordia
 pericycle

Endodermis -
divides periclinally
and results in the
developing cortex
formation of a
sheath over the
developing root cap developing lateral
roots as it pushes its
way thru the cortex.

developing vascular tissue

 Vascular plexus

Vascular
plexus-
connection of
vas. tissues
between parent
and lateral roots:
Late ❑Short
metaxylem tracheary
vessel
elements
❑Xylem
parenchyma
❑Sieve tube
elements
LMX late metaxylem vessel
PC connector sieve elements XP xylem
TC tracheary connector elements parenchyma
Vascular plexus
Triarch root

protophloem

metaphloem

protoxylem

metaxylem

e.g. pea
DIRECTION OF XYLEM DIFFERENTIATION
CORTICAL
PARENCHYMA
WITH STARCH GRAINS
ENDODERMIS
PROTOXYLEM
METAXYLEM

METAXYLEM

PROTOPHLOEM

METAPHLOEM

EXARCH - FROM PERIPHERY INWARD

Dicot root has completed primary growth.
Xylem and phloem are fully differentiated

Parenchyma of
cortex

Endodermis
Primary phloem
Protoxylem
Metaxylem
Pericycle
Corn root
 Monocot root

parenchyma
of cortex
endodermis
(part of cortex)

pericycle
metaxylem
protoxylem

primary phloem

pith

Polyarch - e.g. Iris sp

Gymnosperms • The xylem contains
tracheids only,
• The phloem tissue is
• Pine composed of sieve
cells, albuminous cells
and phloem
parenchyma cells.
Some pine roots are diarch
phloem

Resin duct

Xylem
(tracheids)

Vascular
cambial
zone
 The two xylem poles composed
of tracheids (T) are visible. Each
P xylem pole is associated with a
resin duct (RD). The xylem is
diarch. The phloem (P)
T T RD alternates with the xylem poles
RD
and is partly crushed in this
section.
CZ
P
A narrow cambial zone exists
between the xylem and the
phloem.
 Pine root

• The endodermis
and pericycle are
both thin-walled
and indistinct.
• The endodermal
cells in this
immature region,
lack suberin.

• Pericycle is inner
to endodermis
Younger root close to root tip
•Protoxylem tracheids
are closest to the resin
duct and the metaxylem
tracheids are farthest Older root, activity of
away from it. Vascular cambium
has started
 Lower vascular groups
• Psilotum
• Selaginella
• Lycopodium
• Equisetum

Root is one constant in evolution

Selaginella
Proplike structures originating from
the stem

At distal ends
Prostrate axis bears
elongate, downwardly-
growing cylindrical
appendages which
develops a tuft of
adventitious roots at the
free end.

rhizophores
Near the Stem part of rhizophore Near the Root part of rhizophore
Protostele-solid central
cylinder of xylem
surrounded by phloem.

Haplostele –xylem
circular
Selaginella Anatomy of rhizophore
 endodermis

Selaginella
Roots are largely
adventitious arising from
basal portion of stem

Lycopodium
Lycopodium roots are adventitious- originates from
pericycle or endodermis
Lycopodium roots may be formed
along the entire length of the stem
 Lycopodium
serratum

metaxylem
pericycle
endodermis
phloem
protoxylem

cortex

epidermis

Diarch root- C-shaped

One mass of Roots are adventitious formed from
phloem pericycle of stem
Equisetum
Equisetum
triarch
Ferns
 Fern root
protoxylem

phloem
metaxylem
 Fern root -diarch

PX

Cells
contain
tannin
MX

phloem

PX

Cortical Cell contain starch grains

Diarch roots –common in ferns
Blechnum

protoxyl
protoxylem

metaxylem
phloem
 triarch
Fern root
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