Comparison of Roots and Stems

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Characters  

Dicot stem  Dicot Root


1. Epidermis
a. Nature of
Thick walled Thin walled
the cells
b. Epidermal
Present, multi cellular trichomes Present, unicellular root hairs
hairs
c. Cuticle Present Absent
d. Stomata Present Absent
2.
Present, made up of collenchyma Absent
Hypodermis
3. Wavy in appearance richly Circular in appearances. Contains passage cell
Endodermis deposited with starch casparian strips
Many layered, made up Of
4. Perlcycle Single layered, made up of parenchyrna
sclerenchyina
5. Medullary
Present Replaced by conjuctive tissue
rays
6. Pith Present Absent
7.Vascular bundles
a. Number Eight Eight, four each of xylem and phloem
b. Nature Conjoint, collateral and open Radial
c. Xylem Endarch Exarch

 Differences between Dicot root and Dicot stem


Differences between monocot root and monocot
stem
 Character
 Monocot stem  Monocot Root
s
 1.Epidermis   
 a.Nature of
 Thick walled  Thin walled
the cells
 b.Epiderm
 Absent  Present, unicellular root hairs
al hairs
 c.Stomata  Present  Absent
 2.
Hypodermi  Present, made up of sclerenchyma  Absent
s
 3. Ground
 Undifferentiated  Differentiated
tissue
 4. Vascular bundles   
 a. Number  Indefinite  Eight each of xylem and phloem Radial
 b. Nature  Conjoint, collateral closed  Radial
 c. Xylem  Endarch  Exarch
 d. Xylem  Only two protoxylem vessels and two  More than two protoxylem and two
vessels metaxylem vessels in each bundle Present metaxylem vessels in each bundle
 e.
Lysigenous  Present  Absent
cavity
 f. Phloem  Present  Present
parenchym
a
 

COMPARE ROOTS AND STEMS


There are numerous differences between stems and roots.
Firstly, there is a difference in the nature of cells found in the
epidermis. Cells from stems generally have a thick wall,
while cells from roots typically are thin-walled.
 On stems of dicots (generally not monocots) epidermal hairs
are present as multicellular trichomes. Hairs are also present
on roots but as unicellular root hairs.

Dicot stems also possess a cuticle whereas roots do not.


Another main difference between roots and stems is whether
or not stomata is present. Stomata is present in stems but
absent in roots. Stems also possess a hypodermis (made up
of sclerenchyma in monocots and collenchyma in dicots) but
roots do not.

The overall appearance of the endodermis also varies


between roots and stems. In dicot stems, it typically has a
wavy appearance richly  deposited with starch, yet in dicot
roots, the endodermis is usually circular in appearance and
consists of passage cells and Casparian strips.
Ground tissue of monocot stems and roots also differs.
Monocot stems have undifferentiated ground tissue,
whereas monocot roots have differentiated ground tissue. 
In the pericycle of dicots, more differences can be noted.
The pericycle of stems  has many layers and is made up of
sclerenchyma, whereas, the pericycle of roots has a single
layer and is made up of parenchyma. 
Medullary rays are present in dicot stems but are replaced
with conjunctive tissue in dicot roots. The pith is also present
in dicot stems but not dicot roots. 
There are also many notable differences between the
vascular bundles of stems and roots. The number of
vascular bundles varies between stems and roots with an
indefinite number in monocot stems yet there are only eight
of each xylem and phloem in monocot roots. In dicots, the
number of vascular bundles varies slightly as well. In dicot
stems, only 8 vascular bundles are present and in dicot roots
four of each xylem and phloem are present. The nature of
vascular bundles also varies between stems and roots.
Stems usually have conjoint, collateral vascular bundles
(closed in monocots; open in dicots) whereas roots have
radial vascular bundles. The number of xylem vessels
present in roots and stems also differs. There are only two
protoxylem vessels and two metaxylem vessels in each
bundle in stems, but there are more than two protoxylem and
two metaxylem vessels in each bundle in roots. 

Monocot stems possess a lysigenous cavity but monocot


roots do not. Both monocot stems and roots possess phloem
parenchyma.

Another difference between roots and stems such as the fact


that stems usually develop above ground, whereas roots
usually develop below ground.

I've summarised these differences in a table (see


attachment) - its makes it a little easier to understand!

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