by Ted Held

Cryptocoryne Roots

Cryptocoryne griffithi. Middle aged root, 1000X, a detail of the 140X picture, where the rope and membrane feature is most easily seen. Examination will reveal an apparent filmy membrane, loosely encasing the root skin. The membrane is structured as a thin film stretched between what look like rope boundaries. The ropes form a regular pattern almost exactly conforming to the underlying cell rows. The ropes seem to create an open network analogous in size and shape to the cells with the loosely stretched membrane between (and below, so that the membrane rests on the cell rows and the ropes above). The net-like rope support structure seems to favor running along the middle of each cell in the skin so that the appearance is very geometrical. The viewer may note a few small cracks along the surface, especially in the upper left corner of this picture. These are probably artifacts of partial desiccation.

Middle aged viable root of Cryptocoryne at 1000 X magnification.
Aroid SEM Home Page. Middle aged viable root of Cryptocoryne, 140 X magnification. Cryptocoryne raphides
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This page was created by Scott Hyndman for the I.A.S. on August 29, 2002.