Plant Biology
Fibrous Root System
A root system with many similarly-sized roots spreading out from the base of the stem, without a dominant central root. Common in grasses and many vegetables.
Biological Context
Fibrous roots form dense mats in the upper soil layers, excellent for preventing erosion. They're efficient at capturing surface water and nutrients. Plants with fibrous roots transplant more easily since no single root is critical. Grasses, onions, and bamboo have fibrous roots.
Business Application
Fibrous business structures have distributed capabilities without a single critical core. More resilient to localized damage but may lack the deep resource access of taproot structures. Conglomerates and diversified portfolios resemble fibrous root systems.