The cotton root system develops as a taproot system where the primary root (embryonic root) develops into a large taproot which produces smaller, lateral roots. The photograph below depicts the relative locations of the taproot and lateral roots in the cotton plant.

The tissues of any root can be categorized into the three tissue systems (dermal, ground, and vascular). The photograph below of a cross section through a cotton root at the primary growth stage has been labeled, showing the boundaries of the different tissue systems. The dermal tissue system, at this point, consists of only the epidermis. The ground tissue system is composed of the cortex (which includes the endodermis), and the vascular tissue system includes the xylem, phloem and pericycle. Often the tissues of the vascular tissue system are collectively called the vascular cylinder or the stele.