root: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Sep. 16, 2026

Photos and Videos

Illustration comparing two root types: on the left, a grass plant with a dense network of thin fibrous roots, and on the right, a carrot plant with a single thick taproot and leafy greens above ground.

Mangrove pneumatophores

Root and shoot apical meristems

A labeled diagram of a typical root cross section shows layers from the outside inward: root hairs, epidermis, cortex, endodermis, pericycle, and a central cylinder containing primary xylem and primary phloem.

Young fig tree seedling with several broad green leaves, a slender brown stem, and an exposed, branching root system.

How Do Plants Absorb Water and Nutrients?

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Topics

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