Skip to content

Biology · Ch 6 — Anatomy of Flowering Plants

Monocotyledonous Root

6.2.2

Monocotyledonous Root

The anatomy of the monocotyledonous root is similar to that of the dicot root in many respects. A transverse section shows the same general set of tissues, arranged from the outside inwards:

  • epidermis,
  • cortex,
  • endodermis,
  • pericycle,
  • vascular bundles, and
  • pith.

The important differences from the dicot root are seen in the vascular tissue and the pith:

  • As compared to the dicot root, which has only a few xylem bundles, the monocot root usually has more than six xylem bundles. Because there are many xylem strands, the condition is described as polyarch.
  • The pith is large and well developed, unlike the small or inconspicuous pith of the dicot root. …
Figure 6.3b(b) Monocot root
Fig. 6.3b — (b) Monocot root

Drawn by us to help you understand the concept clearly, and verified to make sure it's accurate. For exams, practice from your NCERT textbook's own diagram.

This figure shows a transverse section of a monocot root. As in the dicot root, the epidermis, cortex, endodermis and pericycle surround the central stele, but here there are more numerous xylem and phloem patches (polyarch) arranged around a large, well-developed central pith -- the ma …