User:SB Johnny/Root rewrite
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In vascular plants, the root is an organ that typically (but not always) lies below the surface of the soil. Roots are found in various modifications and forms, but have in common a particular vascular structure that distinguishes them from other plant organs. In most cases root cells do not contain chloroplasts.
![Thumb image](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Primary_and_secondary_cotton_roots.jpg/320px-Primary_and_secondary_cotton_roots.jpg)
but this is not always the case, since a root can also be aerial (that is, growing above the ground) or aerating (that is, growing up above the ground or especially above water). On the other hand, a stem normally occurring below ground is not exceptional either (see rhizome). So, it is better to define root as a part of a plant body that bears no leaves, and therefore also lacks nodes. There are also important internal structural differences between stems and roots. The two major functions of roots are 1) absorption of water and inorganic nutrients and 2) anchoring the plant body to the ground. Roots also function in cytokinin synthesis, which supplies some of shoot needs. They often function in storage of food.