WORLD JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES
Poornima et al.
World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
SJIF Impact Factor 5.210
Volume 4, Issue 06, 794-797.
Research Article
ISSN 2278 – 4357
A REPORT ON DIFFERENT TYPES OF AERIAL ROOTS
1
1,2
Ramakrishna T.M., 2*Poornima S. and 3Vimala R.
Department of Biological Sciences, Jnanabharathi Campus Bangalore University,
Bangalore- 560056.
3
Government Junior College for Boys, Kolar.
ABSTRACT
Article Received on
26 March 2015,
Revised on 17 April 2015,
Accepted on 08 May 2015
The aerial roots are present in certain species of plants only. They are
adventitious and are modified to perform functions like support,
absorption of moisture, floating etc. The present study shows the
different forms of aerial roots in Banyan and Gul mohar.
*Correspondence for
KEY WORDS: Aerial roots, Ficus benghalensis, Delonix regia.
Author
Poornima S
INTRODUCTION
Department of Biological
Sciences, Jnanabharathi
Ficus benghalensis Linn. of Moraceae commonly known as Banyan,
Campus Bangalore
is a tree which is native to Asia. This is a large deciduous tree grow up
University, Bangalore-
to the height of 20-25 m tall with its branches, prop roots and leafy
560056.
crown covers a large area. The „prop roots‟ will create a forest of its
own. In Delonix regia (Hook.) Raf., commonly known as Gul mohar
of Fabaceae grows to the height of 9-15 m. It has elegant, wide spreading umbrella like
canopy. It is an exotic tree introduced into the tropical parts of the world for its ornamental
value.
The Banyan tree is our Indian National Tree and it has a distinction of having aerial roots
(prop roots) meant for support and it is a large tree in terms of its size and occupying area. In
general, the aerial roots,[1,2,3,4] are developed from the branches horizontal to the soil, meant
for support. These aerial roots for support, grow towards the soil and penetrate into the soil.
These supporting roots in banyan, increase in size due to secondary growth and serve as
supporting trunks later on; for example; The Great Banyan Tree of National Botanical
Gardens at Kolkata has occupied 1.6 hectares and has 3511 prop roots and Dodda Alada
Mara (Big Banyan Tree) at Magadi, near Bengaluru and Banyan tree in Adyar, Chennai.
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Vol 4, Issue 06, 2015.
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World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Similar to this, roots of Maize ( Zea mays Linn.) and screwpine (Pandanus sp). are referred
as stilt roots because they are supporting roots oblique to the branch.[1] The aerial roots
serve for breathing in certain mangrove plants known as pneumatophores and for floating
in water the aerial roots are modified as spongy roots in Ludwigia adscendens (Linn.) H.
Hara[3] and in epiphytic orchids, aerial roots absorb moisture from the atmosphere. The
hanging roots of Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers, are very long, and filiform which
grow from the branches, serve to support the tender branches of the plant.[2]
The literature survey showed that there is a scanty information on different forms of aerial
roots of Ficus benghalensis and of the aerial roots in Delonix regia[3] and hence a note.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Annavaram is a tourist place in the state of Andhra pradesh has a distinction of having a
famous temple and an adjacent Pampa river. The presiding deity in the temple is Lord Sathya
deva or Sathyanarayana swamy with his consort Ananta lakshmi on one side and with Lord
Shiva on the other side. The temple has large number of visitors coming from all over south
and north India. Adjacent to the lodge a banyan tree having a different type of aerial root s
has been observed.
In Bengaluru there are thousands of Gul mohar trees cultivated as avenue trees. Among them,
a tree has developed aerial roots from the main trunk. In both cases the aerial roots are
photographed because of their unique characterstics.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The aerial roots of Banyan arise 10–12 m above the main trunk and grow encircling around
the vertical branch and reach the main trunk which is partially decomposed and grow
towards the soil (Figs.1.A& B) . The roots are weak and thin and
show no signs of
increasing in size as in other prop roots arising from the horizontal branches.
An interesting and rare feature observed in Delonix regia; a single aerial root arises about 34 m above the ground from the main trunk and branch off to
produce a bunch of roots.
(Figs.1.C & D) and grow downwards showing positive gravitational growth, but grow into
a depression present on the main trunk for absorption of moisture present in the crevice.
In Banyan, the roots are generally produced for support (prop roots) when the roots originate
from the horizontal branches. In the present observations the roots originate, from the
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Vol 4, Issue 06, 2015.
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Poornima et al.
World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
vertical branch and grow downwards encircling the branch and trunk and later on enter
into the soil. The roots of banyan arising from the vertical branch has a different mechanism
of supporting the tree. These aerial roots support the main trunk as the main trunk is partially
getting decomposed and unable to bear the weight of the other branches.
In Gul mohar the aerial root formation is a rare phenomenon. These roots are produced in
clusters are meant for absorption of moisture collected in the crevice on the main trunk.
A
B
C
D
Figure 1: A & B Aerial Roots of Banyan and C & D are of Gul mohar
A. Aerial Roots originate and encircle the vertical branch.
B. Main trunk is partially decomposed with aerial roots indicated by arrows
C. A cluster of roots formed from a branch of Gul mohar
D. Fresh roots are formed from the root cluster
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Vol 4, Issue 06, 2015.
796
Poornima et al.
World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
REFERENCES
1. Dutta AC. A class Book of Botany. Geoffrey Cumberlege, Oxford Univ. press: 1956; 3040.
2. Ramamoorthy TP. and Gandhi KN. “Moraceae” In: Flora of Hassan District by Saldanha
C. J. and Nicolson, D.H. Amerind publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd New Dehli: 1976; 80.
3. Gopalakrishna Bhat, K.
Flora of South Kanara Published by Gopalakrishna Bhat,
Aakrithi Prints, Mangalore: 2014; 296, 319.
4. en.wikipedia/wiki/aerial root date: 10 march 2015.
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