Tag: root system in plants

Asafoetida or hing is the dried latex (gum oleoresin) exuded from the rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, a perennial herb that grows 1 to 1.5 m tall. The species is native to the deserts of Iran, mountains of Afghanistan and is mainly cultivated in nearby India. Thus, option A is correct. 

Velamen is a spongy, multiple epidermis that covers the roots of some epiphytic or semi-epiphytic plants, such as orchid and Clivia species. The velamen of an orchid is the white or gray covering of aerial roots when dry, and usually more green when wet as a result of the appearance of underlying photosynthetic structures. It is many cell layers thick and capable of absorbing atmospheric moisture and nutrients. Often, the roots of orchids are associated with symbiotic fungi or bacteria, the latter may fix nutrients from the air. This functionality allows the orchid to exist in locations that provide a reproductive or vegetative advantage such as improved exposure or reduced competition from other plant species. The velamen also serves a mechanical function, protecting the vascular tissues in the root cortex, shielding the root from transpirational water loss and in many cases, adhering the plant to the substrate. So, velamen tissues are associated with absorption of moisture and not with nutrition, assimilation and haustorial function.
Thus, the correct answer is option C.

In some plants, the roots are chlorophyllous and perform photosynthesis. For example, Tinospora, Taeniophyllm, Trapa, Podostemum.

Asafoetida is the dried latex (gum; oleoresin) exuded from the rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, a perennial herb that grows 1 to 1.5 m (35 ft) tall. It is also known as asant, food of the gods, jowani badian, stinking gum, Devil's dung, hing, ingu, kayam and ting.
Asafoetida is used for breathing problems including ongoing (chronic) bronchitis, H1N1 "swine" flu and asthma. It is also used for digestion problems including intestinal gas, upset stomach, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and irritable colon. Other uses include treatment of whooping cough (pertussis), croup and hoarse throat.
Some people use asafoetida for hysteria, insanity, convulsions and as a nerve stimulant for ongoing mental and physical fatigue with depression (neurasthenia).
Women sometimes use asafoetida to restart their menstrual periods after menstruation has stopped for some reason.
Asafoetida is sometimes applied directly to the skin for corns and calluses.
In manufacturing, asafoetida is used as a fragrance in cosmetics and as a flavoring ingredient in foods and beverages. Asafoetida is also used in products meant to repel dogs, cats and wildlife.

Roots form thorny branches in Acanthorhiza. Acanthorhiza has aerial roots which form thorny branches while terminating. Roots that are exposed to the atmosphere, at least during low tide, may be called as aerial or pneumatophores. Aerial roots are roots above the ground. They are almost always adventitious. They are found in diverse plant species, including epiphytes such as orchids, tropical coastal swamp trees such as mangroves.
Thus, the correct answer is option A.

Two kinds of root systems are present in flowering plants :
(i) Tap root : Primary root grows vertically down into soil, secondary roots grow from this at an acute angle outwards and downwards, and from these other branches may arise. The main or primary root is known as the tap root; together with its many branch roots it forms a tap root system e.g. the bean.
(ii) Adventitious root : The primary root usually dies at an early stage and is replaced by numerous roots that develop from the stem, e.g., the mealie.

Chicory (Cichorium intybus), is a somewhat woody, perennial herbaceous plant usually with bright blue flowers, rarely white or pink. Many varieties are cultivated for salad leaves, chicons (blanched buds) or for roots, which are baked, ground, and used as a coffee substitute and additive. 

A) Blue-green algae

Water is absorbed by land plants through their roots especially at their tips the root hairs found in large number in this region increase the surface area of absorption. The concentration of soil water is less than of cell sap of root hair as a result the soil water enters the root hair by endosmosis.

From the region of maturation in roots, the epidermis develops a special unicellular hair like structure known as root hairs that help to increase the surface area of root to maximize the absorption of water and minerals.