CHAPTER II. 



DESCENDING PART OF A PLANT. ROOT. 



7. RADIX, the Root, serves to fix the plant, and to 

 imbibe nourishment for its support. It usually 

 consists of a Caudex, or Body, the top of which is 

 called the Crown; and Radiculte, Fibres; the latter 

 being always present, and constituting the real, or 

 efficient, root. Radicula, the Radicle, or Primary 

 Fibre, is the point of the Embryo (62 ; 1) first pro- 

 truded in incipient germination. 



8. Roots are distinguished into 7 kinds. 



1. Radir fibrosa, a Fibrous Root, composed of 

 fibres only, as in many annual plants, and most 

 grasses. 



2. R. repens, a Creeping Root, as in Mint and 

 Couch-grass. 



s. R.fusiformis, a Tap Root, like the Carrot and 



Radish. 

 4. R. pr&morsa, an Abrupt Root, as Scabiosa suc- 



cisa. 

 s. R. tuber osa, a Tuberous or Knobbed Root, as 



the Potatoc, Pasony, and Orchis, 

 o. R. bulbosa, a Bulbous Root, either solid, like 



that of the Crocus ; lamellated, like Onions ; or 



scaly, like the White Lily. 

 B 2 





