Fibrous root system
{{Short description|Type of branching plant root system}}
File:Royal Palm Roots.jpg palm, Kolkata, India ]]
A fibrous root system is the opposite of a taproot system. It is usually formed by thin, moderately branching roots growing from the stem. A fibrous root system is universal in monocotyledonous plants and ferns. The fibrous root systems look like a mat made out of roots when the plant has reached full maturity.
Description
Most trees begin life with a taproot, but after one to a few years change to a wide-spreading fibrous root system with mainly horizontal surface roots and only a few vertical, deep anchoring roots. A typical mature tree 30–50 m tall has a root system that extends horizontally in all directions as far as the tree is tall or more, but well over 95% of the roots are in the top 50 cm depth of soil.
A few plants with fibrous root systems:
- Coconut palmThampan, P.K. (1981). Handbook on Coconut Palm. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co.
- Grass
- Rosemary
Fibrous roots grow fairly close to the surface of the ground.
Leaves with parallel venation have fibrous roots.
Forages have a fibrous root system, which helps combat erosion by anchoring the plants to the top layer of the soil, and covering the entirety of the field, as it is a non-row crop.{{Cite news|url=http://homeguides.sfgate.com/advantages-fibrous-root-taproot-systems-104165.html|title=The Advantages of the Fibrous Root & Taproot Systems|access-date=2016-12-02}} In a fibrous root system, the roots grow downwards into the soil, and also branch off sideways throughout the soil. This forms a mass of fine roots, with no distinct tap root, because the embryonic root dies back while the plant is still young and growing.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cropsreview.com/fibrous-root.html|title=Taproot and Fibrous Root Systems, Specialized Roots|newspaper=CropsReview.Com|author=Bareja, Ben G. |date=April 2011}}