Question

what account for occurrence of buttress and stilt roots in some forest plants

Answer 1

stilt roots are roots which grow obliquely downwards from basal nodes of main stem and fix firmely to the soil .their function is to give additional support to the plant .buttress roots are large wide roots on all sides of a shallowly rooted tree .they are found in nutrient poor tropical forest soils . they may not be very deep but it provides a large surface area for nutrient absorption and also provides support . while stilt roots are mainly found tropical palms growing in shallow wet soil .it facilitate vertical growth to the canopy .most often without increasing stem diameter and underground root structure .it increses the species ability to rapidly exploit light gaps and enhance survival