In some plants, stems are modified to form underground structures that store food. Some examples of the underground stem are as follows:
Rhizome: They are non-green, fleshy structures that resemble roots in appearance. The presence of nodes and internodes distinguishes them from roots. When a rhizome grows horizontally, it is called Straggling Rhizome. This type of rhizome is seen in turmeric, ginger, etc. If a rhizome grows in an oblique direction, it is called RootStock Rhizome. This is found in bananas and alocasia.
Therefore it has nodes and internodes. Ginger is a stem and not a root because it has nodes and internodes. It is a rhizome, an underground modification of the stem.