Root .systems of the following leguminous plants used for green manure in coffee plantations were studied :- Canavalia ensiformins D. C., Crotalaria juncea L., Styzolobium sp (Mucuna anã) and Glycine max (L). Merrill var. Otootan.. It was noted that the depth of the root system' of each one of the four, espécies is related id the height attained by the; plants. The deepest, root system was found to be thatf of Crotálaria juncea, followed by Canavalia esiformis, soybeans and mucuna anã. For coffee green manure purposes it is concluded that the four studied leguminous espécies can be used safely even having .most of their root system located in the first 30 cm of the soil