Anatomía y caracterización del sistema radicular del alcornoque

In this paper we describe the root system of a mature cork oak (Quercus suber L). The roots were excavated by hand methods, seccioned and weighed. Large sections were described anatomically and sections smaller than 10 mm of diameter by histological tecniques. The root system components were distributed into central root system (CRS) and peripheral root system (PRS). The CRS was located at the base of the tree and embraced an area of 1'5 m and a depth of 60 cm; it consisted of the root crown, thick horizontal or descending roots and thin roots. The PRS extended in a circle of 12 m in diameier. In the PRS, the thick roots were distributed more laxly and the thin roots predominated. At their basal portion, the descending roots were eccentric and eliptic and rapidly forked into two or more small- diameter branches. Grafting between root axes was frequent. The horizontal roots were perpendicular to the tree axis, they were quite circular and kept thickness more or less constant since they forked. Large-diameter root tips, white coloured were observed and their primary structure described. Neither on the root crown nor at the base of the roots, lateral huds were observed.