Type of vegetation

Species

Type of roots

Root depth (m)

Description of roots

Crown shape

Leaf / leaflet/ shape

Evergreen

Mangifera indica

Shallow to deep tap root

5.5   (Stephens, 1949)

1.2  (Musahibuddin, 1960)

Almost the level of water table in Queensland (Australia)

Spherical/ broad

Oblong

Cocos nucifera

Fibrous roots

4-6  (Ramadasan and Rajagopal, 1987)

Palm, upright

Linear lanceolate

Tamarindus indica L.

Moderately deep taproot

1.5 (minimum) http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/char_sciname.cgi

Spherical

Ovate lanceolate

Delonix regia
(Gulmohar tree)

Moderately deep taproot

1.5 (minimum) http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/char_sciname.cgi

Spreading, vase shape,
Flat crowned (umbrella shaped)

Oblong

Michelia champaca

Deep tap root

Requires moist deep soil (Troupa, 1986)

Rounded

Ovate lanceolate

Polyalthia fragrans

Buttress roots

(Troupa, 1986)

Conical

Lanceolate ovate

Mesua ferrea

Taproot

Seedling roots: primary root moderately long, lateral roots numerous, long, fibrous and branched (Troupa, 1986)

Rounded

Elliptical lanceolate

Dipterocarpus indicus

Buttress roots

Seedling roots: primary root long, lateral roots short and distributed down main root (Troupa, 1986)

Rounded

Ovate

Pterospermum acerifolium

Taproot

Seedling root: Primary root long, lateral roots numerous, fine and distributed down main root (Troupa, 1986)

Conical

Ovate

Azadirachta indica

Taproot

Seedling root: Primary root moderately long (Troupa, 1986)

Spreading, rounded

Ovate lanceolate

Hardiwickia pinnata

Taproot

Seedling root: primary root long, lateral roots few to moderate in number
(Troupb, 1986)

Rounded

Oblong

Santalum album

Taproot

Seedling root: primary root long, flexuous, whitish delicate, lateral roots moderate in number, distributed down main root. Roots at an early stage show nodular growths, the first signs of haustoria. (Troupc 1986)

Elliptical

Deciduous

Terminalia catappa

Shallow taproot

0.82 (minimum)
http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/char_sciname.cgi

Broad, flat

Obovate oblanceolate

Albizzia lebbek

Shallow to moderately deep tap root

0-1.4

1.4-2.05

>2.05
(Muthana et al. 1984)

Sand to loamy sand, loose friable
Gravelly loamy sand, somewhat compact
Hard compact zone, rich in lime

Moderately spreading, feathery

Oblong

Dalbergia sisoo

Shallow tap root

1  (Chaulya et al. 2000)

Obovate/orbicular

Terminalia tomentosa

Deep tap root

3.6
Champion and Trevor, (1938)

Attained 3.6 m in two growing seasons

Oblong

Bombax malabaricum

Buttress roots

Seedling root: Primary root long, lateral roots few or moderately numerous
(Troupa, 1986)

Elliptical, elongated

Ovate or cordate

Aegle marmelos

Tap root

Seedling root: Primary root long, lateral roots few or moderate in number and distributed down the main root. Root system is superficial. Lateral roots spreads to some distance
(Troupa, 1986)

Round

Elliptical lanceolate

Acrocarpus fraxinifolius

Large buttress roots

Seedling roots: Primary root moderately long, lateral root moderate in number and length
(Troupa, 1986)

Rounded

Elliptical lanceolate

Cassia fistula

Tap root

Seedling roots: primary root long, lateral roots numerous, fibrous, distributed down main root
(Troupb, 1986)

Open crown

Ovate oblong

Xylia xylocarpa

Tap root

Seedling roots: primary root long, lateral roots fairly numerous, long and distributed down main roots
(Troupb, 1986)

Elliptical

Anogeissus latifolia

Tap root

Seedling roots: Primary root long, lateral roots few to moderate in number, short, fibrous and distributed down main root
(Troupc, 1986)

Feathery and rounded

Plantations

Acacia catechu

Deep tap root

2 (http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/publications/a-catechu.html)

Rounded

Eucalyptus globulus

Deep tap root

2.8
Samraj et al. (1977)

Elongated

Lanceolate

Eucalyptus hybrid

Shallow to moderately deep taproot

1.5-2
>2
Rajan, (1980)

Nandi Hills

Lanceolate

Tectona grandis

Shallow taproot

0.3-0.4 Singh et al (1984)

< 0.5 http://library.wur.nl/prosrom/tectona.html

The primary root is long, but gradually disappears after lateral roots have developed

Spreading, conical

Obovate

Casuarina equisetifolia

Shallow taproot

0.6 minimum (http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/char_sciname.cgi)

Elongated

Narrowly angular

Hevea brasliensis

Very deep tap root

> 10 (Moraes, 1977)

 In shallow alluvial soils, tap roots are confined to the top zone of A horizon but are compensated by profuse growth of lateral roots

Foliose crown (flat and thin)

Ovate