Corm

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Retrieved from Wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corm
A corm is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem (usually one of the monocots) that serves as a storage organ used by some plants to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat (estivation). A corm consists of one or more internodes with at least one growing point, with protective leaves modified into skins or tunics. The thin tunic leaves are dry papery dead petiole sheaths formed from the leaves produced the year before and act as a covering that protects the corm from insects and water loss. Internally a corm is mostly made of starch-containing parenchyma cells above a circular basal node that grows roots.

Roots

Corms grow two different types of roots; from the bottom of the corm normal fibrous roots are formed as the shoots grow, they are produced from the basil area at the bottom of the corm, the other type of roots are produced were the corm grows new corms. The second type of roots are thicker layered roots, that are able to pull the corm deeper into the soil. These roots which are called contractile roots are produced in response to a fluctuating soil temperature and light levels. once the corm is at a certain depth the soil temperature is more uniform and the contractile roots are formed no longer.

See also

• Rhizome
• Tuber
• Root vegetable

Related articles

Corms are not bulbs | Cormels | Plants with corms | Storage organ |