Plant Structures: Root and Stem Systems

Vocabulary flashcards focusing on root and stem terminology from the plant biology lecture transcript.

Taproot system

A root system made up of one large, vertical main root that produces many smaller lateral (branch) roots, typical of dicot plants.

Fibrous root system

A root system composed of a mass of roughly equal-sized roots that branch out from the base of the stem, typical of monocot plants.

Adventitious roots

Roots that grow from parts of a plant other than the main root system, such as stems or leaves.

Lateral roots

Smaller branch roots that grow out from the primary taproot.

Stem

The plant structure above the root that normally grows above the soil surface to bear leaves, flowers, fruit, and seeds, while storing food and transporting water and carbohydrates.

Herbaceous stems

Soft, small, and green plant stems found in flowering plants that usually live for a year or two.

Woody stems

Thicker and tougher plant stems seen in older plants.

Amaranthus

A plant locally called Ibondwe that features a soft, herbaceous stem and lives for a year or two.