Question

What are parasitic roots?

Answer 1

Parasitic roots:

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• Found in non-green parasitic plants.
• Parasitic plants cannot make their own food and obtain food from the host.
• These plants have no chlorophyll necessary for photosynthesis
• Dependent on chlorophyll-bearing plants for their required food materials.
• Adventitious roots from the nodes of these plants penetrate into the host tissue (via peg-like projections called haustoria) and enter into its conducting tissue (water-conducting and food-conducting) to acquire their nutrition.
• Examples: Cuscuta, pinedrops, dodders, broomrapes, Pedicularis densiflora (commonly known as Indian warrior, a root parasite) and mistletoes (a hemiparasitic plants)