64 



THE ROOT. 



400. Forest trees, being less exposed to the assaults of the wind, are much less 

 firmly rooted tlian those in open situations. 



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

 caudex, tapering downwards, and also, for a short space, np- 

 wards. It sends off from the sides and extremity, tln-ead-hke 

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

 nonrishment from the ground. Ex. parsnip, radish. • 



FIG. 20. 



10, Orchis. 



•Forms of the root ; 7, branching roots of a tree ; 8, root of Daucus ; 9, Oxalis ; 



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

 forked. "Wlien it tapers from the collmn downwards its whole length, it is called 

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



h. P remorse, in which the caudex terminates abruptly below, 

 as if it had been bitten off (pra:morsus). This is due to the 

 fact that the lower extremity perishes after the first year. Ex. 

 Viola pcdata, and Scabiosa succisa. 



c. The napiform (turnip-shaped) root is another variety of the 

 fusifonn, 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 tliread-like divis- 

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

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

 ingly in a hght sandy soil. 



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

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

 Dahlia, ccc. 



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



