The Eucalypt Lignotuber: a Position-dependent Organ

Observational and experimental evidence is presented to showthat the capacity to form a lignotuber is not restricted tothe cotyledonary, and a few succeeding, nodes on the primaryseedling stems of certain eucalypts, but is also a propertyof shoots arising from their accessory buds. Erect secondaryshoots from the lignotuber, may bear lignotubers at a few nodes,rhizostolons at many nodes along their length, and, like stolons,rhizomes may give rise to leafy shoots bearing basal lignotubers.These facts describe a so-called position effect for the productionof lignotubers, in the sense that the term has been used forother position-dependent phenomena in plants. Seedlings of lignotuberousspecies remain competent to form lignotubers over a long periodof adversity during which lignotubers are not formed. Shootsof non-lignotuberous species do not inhibit lignotuber developmentwhen grafted to lignotuberous species. eucalypts, lignotubers, position effect, vegetative propagation, tissue culture, rhizostolons, rhizomes