Comment: We avoided vague terms, such as stolon, corm, layer and rootstock, which have very different meaning with individual authors. The rhizome is defined as any below-ground stem. Plant names follow Ehrendorfer (1973). Long-lived organs senesce after more than 2 years, short-lived ones earlier.


A. Root-derived organs of clonal growth (1-4)

  • 1. Trifolium pratense type. Main (tap) root of the primary root system without adventitious roots and buds. Vegetative spreading is poor.
  • 2. Alliaria petiolata type. Main root of the primary root system with adventitious buds.
  • 3. Rumex acetosella type. Lateral roots of the primary root system or adventitious roots with adventitious buds.
  • 4. Ranunculus ficaria type. Root tubers.

B. Stem-derived organs of clonal growth (5-20a)

Ba. Long-lived stems (5-10)

Ba1. Stems growing above-ground (5)

Ba2. Stems growing below-ground (6-10)

  • 6. Festuca ovina type. Below-ground stems formed above-ground. Turf graminoids.
  • 7. Rumex obtusifolius type. Below-ground stems formed above-ground. Stems < 10 cm in length.
  • 8. Rumex alpinus type. Below-ground stems formed above-ground. Stems > 10 cm in length.
  • 9. Dactylis glomerata type. Below-ground stems formed below-ground. Stems < 10 cm in length.
  • 10. Aegopodium podagraria type. Below-ground stems formed below-ground. Stems > 10 cm in length.

Bb. Short-lived stems (11-13)

  • 11. Fragaria vesca type. Plagiotropic above-ground stems specialised in spreading.
  • 12. Caltha palustris type. Below-ground stems formed above-ground.
  • 13. Galium odoratum type. Below-ground stems formed below-ground.

Bc. Below-ground tubers (14-17a)

  • 14. Calystegia sepium type. Annual below-ground tubers on distal part of plagiotropic above-ground stems.
  • 15. Lycopus europaeus type. Annual below-ground tubers on distal part of below-ground stems.
  • 15a. “Adoxa moschatellina type. Annual below-ground tubers on distal part of below-ground stems with thickened scale leaves or leaf bases.
  • 16. Corydalis solida type. Mother and daughter below-ground tubers annual and attached.
  • 16a. Colchicum autumnale type. Daughter tuber attached to the mother tuber; daughter tuber much smaller than the mother tuber.
  • 17. Corydalis cava type. A single perennial below-ground stem tuber.
  • 17a. Bolboschoenus maritimus type. Perennial tubers on below-ground stem which is formed in the below-ground.

Bd. Bulbs (18-20a)

  • 18. Galanthus nivalis type. Daughter bulb formed inside the mother bulb; daughter bulb of the same size as the mother bulb.
  • 19. Ornithogalum gussonei type. Daughter bulb formed inside the mother bulb; daughter bulb much smaller than the mother bulb.
  • 20. Tulipa sylvestris type. Bulb formed on distal part of a below-ground stem.
  • 20a. Allium montanum type. Below-ground stem preserved behind the bulb.

C. Special adaptations (21-27)


Back