Extra- and intracellular measurements of action potentials in the liverwort Conocephalum conicum

Action potentials induced by electrical stimuli were recorded from the thalli of tfie liverwort, Conocephalum conicum L. An analysis of an equivalent circuit of Conocephalum conicum thallus in situ has shown that the multiphasic time course of extracellular recordings is caused by a branching of extracellular conduction layers and by an overlapping of action currents. As compared to the velocity of excitation propagation without short-circuiting, more than 10 times higher rates of action potential conduction have been recorded when the plants are immersed in a low resistaace solution. Furthermore, simultaneous extra- and intracellular recordings from thalli in situ are presented.