Plants using C4 photosynthesis grow 20-100 percent quicker than more common C3 plants by altering the shape, size and structure of their leaves and roots, according to a new study.

But a plant is more than meets the eye. Beneath the soil, its root system can extend inches or even feet, spidering into the earth and fueling soil health.

Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, Vol. 118, No. 2 (Apr. - Jun., 1991), pp. 176-183 (8 pages) Field observations on growth form and laboratory observations on structure were made of the root ...