Morphology and development of aerial roots of Selaginella martensii grown in moist containers

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Abstract
Aerial roots of Selaginella martensii Spring, grown in moist containers, produce root caps and root hairs after 3 to 4 weeks. Tips of capless, hairless aerial roots are green because of starch-containing chloroplasts in the cortex. As roots develop pigmentation is gradually lost. By the time that caps and hairs are formed the apices are colorless and contain a zone of amyloplasts in the cortical region. The external morphology of roots grown in moist chambers closely resembles that of roots grown in soil but ultrastructural plastid changes are quite distinct. The cortical cell plastids of differentiated roots grown in moist chambers resemble chromoplasts (but lack color), while cortical cell plastids of soil-grown roots develop prolamellar bodies typical of etiolated tissues. The results support an earlier interpretation that the organ in question is a root throughout development.

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