File:The natural history of plants, their forms, growth, reproduction, and distribution; (1902) (14597050127).jpg

Identifier: naturalhistoryof01kern (find matches)
Title: The natural history of plants, their forms, growth, reproduction, and distribution;
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Kerner von Marilaun, Anton, 1831-1898 Oliver, Francis Wall, 1864- Macdonald, Mary Frances Ewart Busk, Marian Balfour, Lady
Subjects: Botany
Publisher: London, Blackie
Contributing Library: NCSU Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: NCSU Libraries

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trees,—especially those of Phalcenopsis Schilleriana, described on p. 108;and finally the girdle-like roots of Ficus and Wightia, figured on p. 705. Supporting roots, as their name implies, have the task of supporting the stemsto which they belong. They are always visible above-ground, and assume the formof but cresses when they spring from erect trunks, of pillars when they belong tothe projecting lateral branches of a stem. They may be conveniently divided intotabular, stilt-like, and columnar roots. Tabular roots (radices parietiformes) proceedfrom the lower part of an erect trunk, and have the form of flanges placed on end.They may also be compared to massive planks of wood used for fencing in roads.They radiate out in all directions and give to the approaches to the main trunk theappearance of short precipitous valleys which become gradually narrowed andterminate blindly in an acute angle. The tabular roots frequently resemble narrow RELATION OF STRVCTVRE TO FUNCTION IN ROOTS.
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Fig. 165 -Iiuiif liia-rubber 756 RELATION OF STRUCTURE TO FUNCTION IN ROOTS. buttresses, with regular radiating arrangement around the trunk, inclosing smallniches, much sought after as hiding-places by various animals, and offering veryacceptable holes to foxes, for instance. In point of fact, these roots are often called buttress-roots . Tabular roots are a peculiarity of tropical trees with huge, heavycrowns. A particularly well-defined form is exhibited by the West Indian CottonTree (Eriodendron caribceuTn) and by the India-rubber Fig (Ficus elastica) belong-ing to tropical Asia, and yielding caoutchouc. The picture of this tree, drawn fromnature by Eansonnet, fig. 185), gives us a very clear idea of these tabular or buttress-roots; the same figure, in the background to the right, also shows another speciesof Ficus, viz. the celebrated Banyan-tree (Ficus Indica), which will be describedpresently. Stilt-like roots (radices fulcrantes) also arise in the same way from the erect orobl

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