CHAPTER III. 
THE ROOT OF THE ANGIOSPERM. 
17. Distinction between Roots and Stems.—The root 
is that part of a plant which tends to grow downwards 
away from the light and towards water. It bears 
neither leaves nor buds and usually ends in a special 
protective structure called a Root-cap. The internal 
structure is also different from that of the stem. 
Although a root can usually be easily distinguished 
from a stem, there are many cases in which stem struc- 
tures simulate the appearance of roots, and hence the 
distinctions above mentioned are important, for they en- 
able us to distinguish such apparent roots from true 
roots. 
18. Familiar Forms of Roots.—We have already 
mentioned that there are two kinds of roots, normal 
roots and adventitious roots. The former are produced 
by regular racemose branching of the tap root. The 
latter include those roots developed from other roots out 
of the regular order, roots developed from stems, and 
roots developed from leaves. Nearly all monocotyledons 
have adventitious roots, and plants with rhizomes, or 
creeping stems, usually produce adventitious roots too. 
The most common form of root is that of the her- 
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