Stolon
/ˈstoʊlɑn/
Definition
Stolon refers to a slender, horizontal stem that grows at or just above the soil surface and can produce roots and new shoots at its nodes, the points where leaves or buds attach. It is a vegetative spread structure used by some plants for asexual reproduction and colony formation. Unlike a rhizome, which usually grows underground, a stolon runs along the surface; strawberry runners are a familiar example.
Function in Plants
- Clonal spread: A stolon lets a plant colonize nearby ground by forming new plantlets at nodes, which supports quick local spread without relying only on seed production.
- Resource connection: While attached, daughter plants can receive water, sugars, and nutrients from the parent, improving establishment until they can function more independently.
- Useful distinction: In botany and plant identification, stolon is often contrasted with a rhizome: a stolon usually grows along or just above the soil surface, while a rhizome grows below ground.
- Propagation value: Gardeners and growers can use naturally rooted sections to propagate certain plants, including strawberry and many turf grasses, with relatively little stress to the new plant.
Related Terms
Runner
Runner refers to a long, slender horizontal stem that grows along the soil surface or just above it and produces new…
Rhizome
Rhizome refers to a horizontal underground stem that grows at or just below the soil surface. Unlike a root, it has…
Node
Node refers to the point on a plant stem where leaves, buds, branches, or flowers attach or can develop. It is a…
Internode
Internode refers to the section of a plant stem between two nodes, the points where leaves, buds, or branches attach…
Vegetative reproduction
Vegetative reproduction refers to a form of asexual plant reproduction in which new plants grow from roots, stems…
Layering
Layering is a vegetative propagation technique in which a stem forms roots while still attached to the parent plant…
Propagation
Propagation is the process of producing new plants from seeds, spores, or vegetative parts such as stem cuttings…