Roots function in the absorption of water and inorganic nutrients, anchoring the plant body to the substrate and supporting it, storage of food and nutrients, and vegetative reproduction. The roots of most vascular plant species enter into symbiosis with soil-borne microorganisms. Roots are usually positively geotropic and found underground, although there are many exceptions such as the aerial roots of orchids. Roots often form secondary thickening from the root lateral meristem (PO:0006308). Commonly thought of as one of the three basic parts of the plant body, along with the shoot axis (PO:0025029) and leaves (PO:0025034).

root

PO:0009005

A plant axis (PO:0025004) that lacks shoot axis nodes (PO:0005004) and usually grows indeterminately.

ra&#237z (Spanish, exact)

radices (exact, plural)

radix (exact)

根 (Japanese, exact)

FNA:bf0ce902-e91c-401a-92a8-26b20142ce5f

PO_GIT:578

plant_anatomy

PO:0009005

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aerial root (narrow)

climbing root (narrow)

PO:0003006