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SN KANSAGARA SCHOOL, RAJKOT

Biology department
STD. 11

Practical material

Plant morphology
Aim: To identify and study roots and their modifications

Tap roots
In this single main root or primary root directly arises from a point radicle which in turn gives
out many lateral roots
These are found in dicotyledonous plants.

A. Fusiform tap roots


1. Primary root is spindle shaped which is
swollen in the middle and tapers at the
ends.
2. It has many unicellular root hairs.
3. It is meant for storage of food. e.g.,
Radish.

B. Napiform tap root


1. Primary root is swollen and thickened at
the upper end and posterior end tapers
abruptly.
2. It has many unicellular root hairs.
3. It is meant for storage of food, e.g. Turnip
and beet.

SN KANSAGARA SCHOOL, RAJKOT


Biology department
STD. 11

Practical material

C. Conical tap root


1. Primary root is thick and broad at upper
end and tapers gradually towards the
growing root tip.
2. It has many unicellular root hairs.
3. It is meant for storage of food, e.g. carrot

D. Nodulated tap root


1. Primary root produces secondary and
tertiary roots.
2. Secondary and tertiary roots bear gall
like swelling called root nodules.
3. Root nodules have symbiotic nitrogen
fixing bacterium such as Rhizobium,
e.g. leguminous plants.

D. Nodulated roots of a legume containing


nitrogen fixing bacteria
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SN KANSAGARA SCHOOL, RAJKOT


Biology department
STD. 11

Practical material

Adventitious roots and their modifications


In this primary root developing from the radicle of the embryo dies and the additional roots
originate from parts of the plant other than the radicle such as stem and leaf.

A. Fasciculated adventitious roots


1. These roots occur in clusters.
2. These roots are meant for storage of food.
3. These roots have a similar shape, e.g.
Dahlia, Asparagus.

Fasciculated root of Dahlia

B. Tuberous adventitious roots


1. These roots occur singly.
2. These roots are in different shapes.
3. These roots are meant for storage of food,
e.g. Sweet potato.

Tuberous root of sweet potato

SN KANSAGARA SCHOOL, RAJKOT


Biology department
STD. 11

Practical material

C. Prop or pillar adventitious roots


1. These roots arise singly from aerial
branches of main stem and grow
vertically downwards to penetrate the
soil.
2. They become thick and stout to form
pillar which provides mechanical
support, e.g. Banyan tree.

Prop root of banyan tree

D. Stilt adventitious roots


1. These roots arise in clusters from few
nodes near the base of aerial stem.
2. These roots provide mechanical support
to the plant, e.g. sugar cane, maize.

Stilt root of Maize

SN KANSAGARA SCHOOL, RAJKOT


Biology department
STD. 11

Practical material

AIM: To identify and study the modifications of stem.


Underground modifications:
A. Rhizome
1. It has nodes and internodes.
2. Nodes have scaly leaves.
3. Its undersurface gives out adventitious
roots.
4. Its one end has terminal bud.
5. It is meant for storage of food.
6. It grows horizontally in the soil, e.g.
Ginger.

Rhizome of ginger

B. Bulb
1. Stem is highly condensed and gives out
many scaly leaves.
2. Scaly leaves are fleshy and store food.
3. The terminal bud gives off aerial shoot.
4. Its lower portion gives out many
adventitious roots, e.g. Onion.

Bulb of onion

SN KANSAGARA SCHOOL, RAJKOT


Biology department
STD. 11
C. Corm

Practical material

1. It is a short, vertical underground stem


which is fleshy and solid.
2. It has nodes and internodes.
3. Nodes have scaly leaves.
4. Its base has adventitious roots.
5. It grows vertically upward in the soil.
6. It is meant for storage of food, e.g.
Colocasia.

Corm of Colocasia

D. Tuber
1. It is a swollen terminal portion of an
underground lateral stem.
2. It has nodes and internodes.
3. Nodes are in the form of eyes and have
scaly leaves.
4. It is meant for storage of food, e.g.
Potato.

Tuber of Potato

SN KANSAGARA SCHOOL, RAJKOT


Biology department
STD. 11

Practical material

Subaerial modifications:
A. Runner
1. It grows horizontally along the soil.
2. Adventitious roots are given out at
nodes.
3. It is meant for quick horizontal
spread of the plant, e.g. Lawn grass.

B. Sucker
1. It grows horizontally under the soil
and also emerges out above the soil
horizontally.
2. Adventitious roots are given out on
those nodes which are in the soil.
3. It originates from underground part
of stem and meant for horizontal
spread of the plant, e.g.
Chrysanthemum

SN KANSAGARA SCHOOL, RAJKOT


Biology department
STD. 11

Practical material

C. Stolon
1. It is a special type of runner which
does not grow horizontally. It first
grows upward and then down to
meet the soil where a new plant is
formed.
2. It is seen in land plants.
3. Numbers of daughter plants grow
around the mother plant, e.g.
Blackberry.

D. Offset
1. It is short and thick runner which
often breaks away from the mother
plant.
2. Daughter plants normally break
away from mother plant.
3. It is seen in aquatic plants, e.g.
Pistia.

SN KANSAGARA SCHOOL, RAJKOT


Biology department
STD. 11

Practical material

Aerial Modifications:
A. Stem Tendril
1. It is thin wiry leafless and spirally coiled
structure.
2. It provides mechanical support to plant and helps
them to climb neighboring plants or object.
3. It is modification of axillary or terminal bud,
e.g.Passion flower, Grape vine
B. Stem Thorn
1. It is hard, straight and pointed structure.
2. It protects the plants from browsing animals.
3. It is modification of axillary/ terminal bud, e.g.,
Bougainvillea, Duranta.

C. Stem Phylloclade
1. It is broad leaf like structure which bears
chlorophyll for photosynthesis.
2. Leaves are modified into spines.
3. It has unlimited growth and may show branching.
4. It is found in xerophitic plants, e.g., Opuntia,
Euphorbia.

D. Stem Cladode
1. It has limited growth and does not show branches.
2. Leaves are either absent or reduced in form of
scales.
3. It is photosynthetic in nature, e.g., Asparagus,
Ruscus.

SN KANSAGARA SCHOOL, RAJKOT


Biology department
STD. 11

Practical material

Aim: To identify and study various modifications of leaf.


A. Leaf tendril
1. It is thin, coiled thread-like structure
which is modified from leaf and
helps in apex climbing, e.g., Pisum
(pea)

B. Leaf Spines
1. In this, leaves are modified into
spines to check transpiration and
also provide protection, e.g.,
Argemone, Opunti.

C. Leaf Phyllode
1. The petiole of compound leaf
becomes green flattened and leaf
like structure.
2. Perform photosynthesis while the
compound laminas frequently
disappear.
3. It bears a bud in its axis,
Eg. Australian Acacia.

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SN KANSAGARA SCHOOL, RAJKOT


Biology department
STD. 11
D. Leaf Pitcher

Practical material

1. Leaf is modified into pitcher like


structure to trap insects.
2. The pitcher contains enzymes which
poison and digest the insect, e.g.,
Pitcher plant.

E. Leaf Bladder
1. Leaves are modified into sac like
structure which has trap door
mechanism to trap door mechanism to
trap tiny organism, e.g., Utricularia.

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