04 THE ROOT. 



400. Torcst trees, "being less exposed to the assaults of the wind, arc much less 

 ' firmly rooted than those in open situations.' . 



145. Fusiform (spindle-shaped). ^ It consists of a thick, fleshy 

 caiidex, tapering downwards, and also, for a short space, up- 

 wards. It sends ofl' from the sides and extremity, tliread-like 

 fibrils, wliich are in fact its true roots, since they alone absorb 

 Konrisliment from the ground. Ex. parsnip, radishi 



FIG. 20. — Forms of the root ; 7, branching roots of a tree ; 8, root of Daucus ; 9, Oxalis ; 

 10, Orchis. 



a. Wlien the fusiform root divides into two principal branches, it is said to be 

 'forked, ^Vhen it tapers from the collum downwards its whole length, it is called 

 a conical or tap root. But its most remarkable variety is the 



b. Premorse, in which the caudex terminates abruptly below, 

 as if it had been bitten off (prasmorsiis). This is dtie to the 

 fact that the lower extremity perishes after the fu-st year. Ex. 

 Viola pedata, and Scabiosa succisa.,- 



c. The «fi7)7/br?»*'(tumip-shaped)( root is another variety of the 

 fusiform, where the upper portion swells out, so that the diame- 

 ter is greater than the length. Ex. turnip. 



146. The fibrous root consists of numerous thread-like divis- 

 ions, sent off directly from the base without any caudex. Such 

 are the roots of most grasses, which multiply theh fibres exceed- 

 ingly in a hght sandy soil. 



a. A fasciculated root is a variety of the fibrous, with some of 

 its fibres tliickened, as in the crow-foot (Ranunculus), peony, 

 Dahlia, &c. 



147. A tuberous root consists of one or more fleshy knobs, or 



