I loved the fact that it brought together Plants are so much like us; However, as much as

different studies on communication humans benefit from networking, it also betrays them—
and plants are not excluded in this ordeal. Mycorrhizal
between plants of the same species,
network is being exploited by orchids to spread toxic
with studies that show how other
chemicals to and steal nutrients from their neighboring
species can butt into the conversation. It plants, which isn’t much different from the actions of
also incorporated studies that humans when consumed by greed. So, after watching
demonstrated how communication can this video (and remembering our lessons from Zoology),
result to better understanding between I realized that all living things, not just humans and
trees for mutual growth, and others that animals, are actively connected with the survival of one
show that toxic relationships can result another and with this, they all have their pleasant and
in the survival of one and the demise of undesirable sides. Nature has created us connectedly
and in perfect balance of good and bad.
another.
After watching this video, I realized that
our own life learning experiences are
shared by other organisms, even by
plants.  And unknown to many of us,
other species need to engage in
meaningful relationships, and
communication is a double-edged tool,
that can either build or destroy
relationships.

- Wood wide web

- Efficient for survival
- Sick/dying nutrients passed to their neighbors
- Attacked – chemical signal to their roots, warn
their friends (raise defenses)
- Orchids – hack to steal resources (spread toxic
chemicals)

When they said no man is an island, I didn’t know it

includes plants. I’ve always been told that plants are
living organisms just like humans, yet it is still unnerving
to know that plants are alive in the way we do—
communicating with and helping each other. Plants may
not be able to talk but they have their own avenue to
share information with each other that would be
efficient for survival—and that is the Wood Wide Web.
They share their nutrients, warn in case of danger, and
protect each other just like how we do it with our
companions. And this network is carried on even unto
dying plants, which nutrients are availed by its
neighbors to generate greater benefits—same with how
we leave our resources to our inheritors.
PLANTS VEGETATIVE ORGAN: THE ROOT 4. Adventitious roots – roots developing from
other parts, stems, leaves
Roots – underground and out of sight,
underappreciated Root Classification based of root system (in a
manner in which they aggregate)
- root system, branches out from the plants’ central
axis is often more extensive than its aerial parts 1. Tap root system – dicot plants growing to
taller heights, have a prominent primary root
- corn plant – grow to a depth of 2.5m and spread
from which secondary roots arise
to 1.2m from the stem
2. Fibrous root system – monocot plants,
- grows downwards towards the source of gravity diffused plants, evenly dispered and branch

- root constitutes the undergrounf part of the plant

axis, generally long and branched and are
Some roots are modified to perform specialized
agrigated in a definite manner
functions (some plants’ roots are much enlarged for
the purpose of storage of carbohydrates, sugars or
water)
Root Functions (basal position, contact with soil
and formation of root system) Roots with unusual functions

- Anchorage (anchors plants in place, - Aerial adventitious roots – arise from the
anchors soil particles, prevents soil erotion) stem nodes, which can absorb water from
- Absorption (absorb water and inorganic the surrounding of the plant
substances that are needed by the plants - Prop roots – develop from branches, go
for photosynthesis) downwards to help support the plant in an
- Conduction (of absorbed water and upright position
minerals to the rest of the plant - Buttress roots – tropical rainforests, shallow
- Storage of nutrients as carbohydrates and form a map at the soil surface, aid in
and/or lipids the extensive distribution of shallow roots
- Production (in meristems of certain - Pneumatophores – grow upward and break
hormones that are transported other parts of out of the water surface; waters close to
the plant shore are rich in nutrients; breathing roots,
- Production of secondary metabolites (e.g., like snorkles to get oxygen in the air while
nicotine in tobacco, which is head are underwater
- Photosynthetic – grow above the soil,
contribute to food production
Root of Embryonic Plant Some plants form root associations that lead to
mutual benefit
- Root has an embryonic counterpart which is
the radicle - Root grafts – where roots from one plant
fused together from secondary growth;
enable exchange of nutrients for optimal
Root Classification growth
- Mycorrhizae – association of fungie, permits
- Based on origin
the exchange of material : fungi allow
1. Primary root – root derived from the
minerals to be transferred to the plants,
embryonic root called the radicle. First to
while plants provide food
develop during seed germination.
- Rhizobia – plant provides photosynthetic
2. Secondary root – grows from the primary
product, while bacteria provides oxygen
root
3. Tertiary root – rootless, indiv roots or
bunches of roots arising from the secondary
root Longitudinal section of the root tip – oldest to
youngest
 - Root Cap – thimble shaped that provides - Vascular – pericycle, first tissue of stele
covering and protection for the root apical (comprised of tissues from procambium)
meristem; secrete muscelage, lubricants to - Procambium gives rise to the vascular
allow roots to penetrate soil without being tissues: phloem, xylem and vascular
damages cambium
- Area of cell division – made of actively - Pericycle is the outermost tissue of the
dividing cell, apical meristem stele; major function is to give rise to lateral
- Area of elongation – enlargement region, roots
derived from the apical meristem - In the zoomed in version
- Area of maturation – region of cell - Epidermis (outermost), Cortex, Stele or
differentiation/ zone of permanent tissues/ vascular tissues (made up of alternating
root hair zone or maturation, cells attain xylem and phloem; star-like arrangement is
their final structural form, permanent actinostele; the number of xylem rays is
tissues, derived from elongation described as tetrarch; arrangement of older
- Root hair – serve as an indicator that the smaller protoxylem outward and the
epidermis has fully matured, outgrowths that younger larger metaxylem inward is
increase the surface area for the absorption described as exarch)
of water and minerals
How do we locate the stele?
- Root morphogenesis, some cells grow
faster/slower, we can distinguish 3 groups - Endodermis with casparian strip; pericycle;
of cells protoxylem vessel; metaxylem vessel,
- Longest cells – protoderm phloem, sieve tube, vascular cambium
- Shortest – Ground meristem (rectangular shaped cell separating xylem
- Intermediate size – procambium and phloem; in eudicots, responsible for
secondary growth)
Root morphogenesis
- Monocot – Epidermis, Cortex (exodermis,
1. Dermal tissue, epidermis, derived from cortical parenchyma, endodermis), Stele
Protoderm (polyarchy – many rays)
2. Ground tissues derived from the Ground
Cross section of monocot
meristem:
3. Stele derived from the procambium - Outermost dermal tissue – epidermis
(pericycle, xylem, phloem) - Large expanse of ground tissue: Cortex with
three regions – Three regions: exodermis
made of sclerenchyma, cortical parenchyma
2 Major Plant Groups of Angiosperms (flowering) and endodermis with casparian strip
- Stele – pericycle, vascular tissues made up
1. Eudicot
of alternating phloem and xylem much like
- Dermal – represented by the epidermis, a
that in dicot roots, sieve tube surrounded by
protective tissue made of a single outermost
companion cells, protoxylem and
layer of cell (epidermal cells are uncutinized
metaxylem
and has cellulose and provided with root
- Pith – lacking in eudicot occupies the large
hairs to facilitate the absorption of water)
central part
- Ground – represented in the eudicot roots
by the cortex, constituting the bulk of the
roots and functions for storage; made up of
cortical parenchyma and endodermis
(controls the movement of water and
dissolve materials into the xylem; to do this,
the endodermis has a special bandlike
region called the casparian strip made up of
waterproof material called suberin)