Tuber

Tuber [ Botany ]
Adjective: Tuberous

Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names


	A thickened underground storage organ formed by the swelling of a stem, it usually bears Multiple growth points scattered over the tuber surface from which shoots and roots develop, e.g. a potato.

A tuber can last for many years. In some species continually enlarge but never produce offsets. In other form protuberance that can be removed and planted separately. Roots grow both from its base and its sides. A tuber should have a food storage rather than water storage organ in the fattened portion. When water storage is prevalent the swollen stem base may well be definite a caudex. See tuberous root, tuberoid

Tuberous Root system [ Botany ]
(Root tubers)

Tuberous roots look like tubers, but are swollen, nutrient-storing root tissue with thickened fleshy part scattered along their length.

During the growing season, they put out fibrous roots to take up moisture and nutrients. Typically grow in a cluster, with the swollen tuberous portions radiating out from a central point. The growth buds are on the stem or at the stem base rather than on the roots themselves like in rhizomes, corms or tubers. In plant producing annual, deciduous shoots new growth buds, or “eyes” form at the base of the stem where it meets the tuberous root. This area is called the crown. Tuberous roots are true root tissue, unlike tubers, rhizomes, and corms which are stem tissue, and bulbs which are leaf tissue. A tuberose root is not a taproot or caudex. Tuberous root system allows the plant to survive catastrophes which may kill the above ground parts.