root hair
A fine extension of a root surface cell that increases the area available for absorbing water and minerals.
Root-hair zone of a young radish root (Raphanus sativus)
All languages
- English
- root hair
- Norwegian
- rothår
- Japanese
- 根毛 — こんもう — kommou
- Korean
- 뿌리털 — ppuriteol
- Spanish
- pelo absorbente
- French
- poil absorbant
- German
- Wurzelhaar
Illustrations are AI-generated and translations are undergoing language review.
Reference sources
- University of Minnesota Open Textbook — a root hair is a small-diameter extension of one epidermal cell
- Washington State University Extension — root hairs are single-celled extensions of the root epidermis
- UC Agriculture and Natural Resources — root hairs develop in the specialized-cell zone behind the smooth growing tip