The morphological and anatomical responses to different depths of burial were examined in Rumex alpinus (Polygonaceae), a perennial plant with monopodial, horizontally growing rhizome. Its segments, which consist of 12-20 internodes, 1 to 2 mm in length each, are products of single growing seasons. The rhizomes regenerated from 5, 10 and 20 cm, but failed to emerge from 30 cm. Number of internodes produced during a growing season was not affected by burial but the length of internodes increased up to about 30-fold. The rhizomes growing up to the surface were subsidized by older rhizome segments. In the case of deeply buried rhizomes the carbohydrate reserves of the last-year-segment were nearly completely depleted. Evolutionary significance of the regeneration capacity is discussed.

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