the roots of epiphytic plants

You know what a plant root is, right? I thought I did. After all, I am a WSU-trained master gardener. Never mind that I detest gardening.

Roots are the main water-absorbing structures of plants. And while they’re present on most plants, it’s not true for all. Wolfiella, the tiniest of the duckweeds, for example, never forms roots, nor do whisk ferns. Or Spanish moss, which isn’t even a moss.

By definition, a root must have vascular tissue, xylem to transport water, and phloem to transport sugars. Rhizoids are present on lichens and liverworts, which are non-vascular plants, and while they do conduct water, they have no actual vascular tissue.

Aerial roots allow climbing plants and epiphytes to anchor to rocks and bark. Attachment is their primary function. The other structures of epiphytic plants capture, absorb and store water and nutrients. Think of the “cup” of a bromeliad. It turns out that mosses get their nutrition from water vapor and air – clouds, mist and fog.

This information, in turn, led me to look into autotrophic organisms, pneumatophores, and lignotubers, and before you know it, it’s time to take the dogs down to the beach for their night walk, dinner is in no way near to being ready, and I’ve forgotten to eat. Again.