Give examples of plants with fibrous root systems

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Detailed Solution

Fibrous root systems are the hallmark of monocotyledonous (monocot) plants. They are also found in some dicots and ferns, particularly when the primary taproot aborts early in development.

Grasses (Poaceae Family)

This is the most classic and widespread example. The entire grass family relies on fibrous roots.

Cereal Crops: Wheat, rice, corn (maize), barley, oats.
Lawn Grasses: Ryegrass, fescue, bluegrass.
Bamboos and Sugarcane: These are also large grasses with dense fibrous root systems.

Other Monocots

Many other monocot families have fibrous roots.

Bulb Plants: Onions, garlic, lilies, tulips. (If you pull an onion, you see a dense cluster of white roots at the base).
Palm Trees: Despite their enormous size, palms have a massive fibrous root system, not a taproot.
Other Flowers: Orchids (many aerial versions), Irises.

Ferns and Some Dicots

Ferns: Most ferns, which reproduce by spores, have fibrous roots extending from their horizontal stems (rhizomes).
Shallow-Rooted Dicots: Some dicots, like strawberries, primarily use a fibrous system of adventitious roots (even if they start with a small taproot).

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