rootlet

A rootlet is a small root. In botany, roots are typically the underground part of a vascular plant, serving to anchor it, absorb water and minerals, and store food. They differ from stems by lacking leaf scars and buds, and by having a root cap. Root hairs, which are filamentous extensions of epidermal cells near the tip of a rootlet, are crucial for absorbing water and minerals. Root systems can be taproot systems, with a main taproot and lateral roots, or fibrous root systems, characterized by a mass of roots of similar diameter. Some roots, known as adventitious roots, arise from organs other than the root, often from stems.123