[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: Strange rice-like things on amazon sword roots
From: "KC0HAK" <warrenwu at qwest_net>
Hi all;
Just pulled up a big sword of some sort (species unknown), and noticed some
weird rice shaped structures on one root. Could anyone describe the
function of these structures? They're about .7 mm wide and the longest ones
are 5 mm. The picture is at www.top-quark.com/sword/root.jpg
The structures are present on only one root, though most of the root system
was left behind when I uprooted it (I had to cut away most of it, as
smaller roots had infiltrated ever nook and cranny of the substrate)
The plant is about 2 years old, and has been growing out of the water for
most of its life.
http://www.top-quark.com/swords/P5100085.jpg is the plant before it was
pulled (a year old or so)
I think that it is not a root, but, instead, is an underground stem with
little scale-like leaves. At the end, a new plant will grow up. I know
that the small swords, such as tenellus, quadricostatus and bolivianus send
out above ground runners that have no internodes between the parent plant
and the new plant that grows from the tip. I did not know that any of the
large swords sent out runners, but your picture is definitely an
underground stem with numerous internodes with tiny reduced leaves.
Paul Krombholz, in central Mississippi,expecting some heavy rains and
possibly severe weather tomorrow.