Markov M., Grushenkov D., Jusufova V.Z.
RJEE Vol. 11 (1). 2026 | DOI: 10.21685/2500-0578-2026-1-1
Abstract | PDF (Rus) | Additional files
Receipt date 08.12.2025 | Publication date 26.03.2026
HOMORRHIZAL ANNUAL PLANTS AND THEIR ROLE IN AQUATIC AND PERIAQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
D.O. Grushenkov1, M.V. Markov2, V.Z. Jusufova3
1, 2, 3 Moscow State Pedagogical University, Moscow, Russia
1 dmgrushenkov.mos@yandex.ru, 2 markovsmail@gmail.com, 3 viola.yusufova@mail.ru
Abstract. The stereotype of the obligatory presence of a taproot system in annual plants, evident in both descriptions and images of annual plants, is discussed as a persistent and yet unresolved, unfortunate misunderstanding. Among the objects presented are, in addition to common species, rare ones listed in regional Red Data Books. The purpose of this article is to characterize the diversity of roots and root systems of annual plants growing in water and on land under conditions of high humidity, focusing on various patterns of secondary homorhysia formation dynamics, which, as will be shown, also occurs in dicotyledonous annual plants from terrestrial habitats with soil moisture levels above average, as well as the structural diversity of aerenchyma characteristic of plants growing in these environmental conditions. For all the subjects listed in this study, using material fixed in 70 % ethanol, we examined the morphology of the root systems and root anatomy in transverse sections made with a razor blade or on a sled microtome with a freezing stage. Phloroglucinol with concentrated HCl was used to stain the lignified elements of the sections. This article presents data, illustrated with color photographs, on several aquatic or semi-aquatic annual plants, with a particular emphasis on the development of homorrhizal root systems during their ontogenesis. This development is typically associated with the very early death or cessation of growth of the primary root of the embryo or, less commonly, the absence of the primary root and the formation of roots on the collets, which can be considered either lateral or adventitious. The anatomy of lignification indicator-stained transverse sections taken from extremely fine roots of these species was analyzed from the earliest stages of germination, revealing the presence of aerenchyma in its various forms and, in longitudinal sections, the presence of mycorrhiza. The stereotype of the obligatory presence of a taproot system in annuals, evident in both descriptions and images of annual plants, is discussed as a persistent and yet unresolved unfortunate misunderstanding. The need to overcome a number of established stereotypes in botany is discussed, along with the rationale for including additional material on the anatomy and morphology of roots and root systems, along with xylochronology, which allows for a more precise characterization of life forms, in botanical textbooks for specialized university courses.
Keywords: annual plants, root systems, heterorhisia, secondary homorhisia, xylochronology
For citation: Grushenkov D.O., Markov M.V., Jusufova V.Z. Homorrhizal annual plants and their role in aquatic and periaquatic ecosystems. Russian Journal of Ecosystem Ecology. 2026;11(1). (In Russ.). Available from: https://doi.org/ 10.21685/2500-0578-2026-1-1