THE ROOT 



IS 



ROOT-HAIRS, which, entering into the finest interstices 

 of the soil, anchor the plant firmly into it. The root- 

 hairs further serve the purposes of absorbing water 

 from the soil, and of secreting a mucilaginous sub- 

 stance which facilitates their passage through the soil, 

 and an acid juice which renders otherwise insoluble 

 and therefore unavailable food-materials in the soil 

 soluble and available to plants. 



To find root-caps and root-hairs, examine the tips 

 of the roots of Banyan 

 (fig. 12) that hang in air A. 

 or spread upon the sur- 

 face of a wall or of a tree; 

 the tips of the stilted aerial 

 roots of kia or Screw-pine 

 {Pandanus fascicularis) ; 

 the roots of pana (see fig. 

 3), khudi-pana or Duck- 

 weed {Lemna) (fig. 13), 

 &c. 



The tap-roots during 

 growth assume various 

 forms; thus they are fusi- 

 form (fig. 14, A, b), as in 

 Radish, Carrot, palang or Spinach {Spinacia oler- 

 acea); napiform (fig. 14, c), as in Turnip, Beet; or 

 BRANCHED SO that the distinction between the primary 

 root and its lateral branches becomes obliterated, as 

 in most woody Dicotyledonous trees. Fibrous or 

 bunch-roots may remain thin, as in Onion, or they 

 may become thick or tuberous (fig. 14, d), as in 

 sata-moolee, ranga-aloo, shank-aloo. 



Roots, as has been described above, develop from 

 the radicle. Often, however, they are seen to originate 

 from parts other than the radicle, such as stems, 



Fig, 12. — a, Root- 

 cap of Fic^i^ ben- 

 galensis (bot). a', 

 Cap enlarged 



Fig. 13.— a. Root- 

 cap of Khudi- 

 pana or Duckweed 

 {Lemna trisulca) 



a'. Cap enlarged. 



