rhizoid

biology
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://mainten.top/science/rhizoid
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

rhizoid, a short, thin filament found in fungi and in certain plants and sponges that anchors the growing (vegetative) body of the organism to a substratum and that is capable of absorbing nutrients. In fungi, the rhizoid is found in the thallus and resembles a root. It may serve either as a feeding organ (Rhizopus) or to anchor the thallus to its substratum (Chytridium). In plants, such as liverworts and mosses (division Bryophyta), rhizoids attach the gametophyte to the substratum and facilitate the absorption of minerals and water.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kara Rogers.