Anatomical studies of shoot bud-forming roots of Brazilian tree species

Abstract

The present study is the first confirmation of the presence of shoot sprouts on roots in tree species of the Brazilian tropical forest, as these underground systems are usually only analysed by external gross morphological observations. The shoot-bearing roots of seven species, collected in a forest block frequently affected by fire, were sectioned and analysed for the number of primary xylem ridges, stele type and reserve compounds. Starch was the predominant reserve compound and occurred in different quantities among the species. The epicormic shoot buds, which arise spontaneously on root cuttings or plants subjected to fire, were analysed in two of the studied species. These buds showed different sites of origin but were considered epicormic (reparative) since they did not carry bud traces along the secondary xylem during their early development. Shoot bud formation on root systems is generally associated with disturbed environments, and confirmation that sprouting from roots does occur may modify many aspects of our appreciation of the community dynamics of forest species and models that define how we manage and rehabilitate Brazilian forest fragments.

Unearthing belowground bud banks in fire‐prone ecosystems

“…Root suckering has been described in many angiosperm families (mainly dicots), in a few ferns and in some conifers (Klimešová & Klimeš, ), in a wide range of ecosystems (Table S1). Suckers can develop from ‘additional’ buds (with an endogenous origin and connected to the primary xylem by a bud trace; Bosela & Ewers, ; Jones & Raynal, ) and/or ‘reparative’ buds (formed in response to physical injury, dieback or senescence of the root or crown and identified by the absence of a bud trace; Bosela & Ewers, ; Hayashi et al ., ; Hayashi & Appezzato‐da‐Glória, ).…”

“…'reparative' buds (formed in response to physical injury, dieback or senescence of the root or crown and identified by the absence of a bud trace; Bosela & Ewers, 1997;Hayashi et al, 2001;Hayashi & Appezzato-da-Gl oria, 2009). Root suckering is strongly associated with lateral spreading, where the ramets remain connected to the parent plant (Jones & Raynal, 1986;Wiehle et al, 2009).…”

The Role of Sprouts in the Restoration of Atlantic Rainforest in Southern Brazil

“…Aboveground plant formation that arises from underground systems is due to the development of buds on roots or stems (Silvertown 1987). Tree species most commonly arise from root buds (Kammesheidt 1999; Hayashi et al 2001; Rodrigues et al 2004), however, surprisingly not in any of the species in the forest studied here. On the other hand, sprouting from underground stem buds, which is normally found in herbaceous plants and shrubs (Rizzini & Heringer 1966; Mallik 1993; Apezzato‐da‐Glória 2003), occurred in eight tree species in the Palmito reserve.…”

Resprouting from roots in four Brazilian tree species

“…Vog. (Leguminosae) by Hayashi et al (2001). According to Sharples and Gunnery (1933), when the callus extended to fill the wounding region in Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. and Hevea brasiliensis Müll.…”