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Stolon

In , a stolon is a slender horizontal branch or connection between parts of an , serving to propagate the asexually or form colonies. In , a stolon, also known as a runner, is typically an aboveground horizontal stem that grows along or above the surface, producing adventitious roots and shoots at its nodes or tip to form genetically identical daughter . Stolons arise from adventitious buds in the plant's crown zone and feature elongated internodes with rudimentary leaves, enabling rapid vegetative propagation. Unlike rhizomes, which are persistent used for storage and survival, stolons are chiefly aboveground and more ephemeral, adapted for surface spreading. This is evident in species like strawberries ( × ananassa), where stolons extend from the parent, root at nodes, and form new plantlets under longer daylight and warmer conditions. In grasses, they enable invasive growth, as in bermudagrass (), zoysia ( spp.), and buffalo grass (), aiding lateral spread and persistence. White clover () also uses stolons for spreading. The term also applies in to horizontal hyphae for fungal spread, in to connections in colonial like corals, and in to fossilized structures indicating ancient clonal growth. The botanical usage is the most common.

In Botany

Definition and Morphology

A stolon, also known as a runner, is defined in as a slender, stem that grows along or above the soil surface, and in some cases below ground (e.g., in ), and facilitates vegetative by producing adventitious and new shoots at its nodes. This structure allows to colonize new areas asexually without relying on seeds, enabling rapid spread in favorable environments. Stolons typically emerge from the base of the parent plant and extend outward, rooting at intervals to form genetically identical daughter plants. Morphologically, stolons exhibit distinct features adapted for and . They possess long internodes, often several centimeters to meters in length, and a thin , usually less than 5 mm, which contrasts with the more robust stems of upright . Their is plagiotropic, meaning it is oriented horizontally due to inhibition, with nodes specialized for the formation of adventitious downward and axillary buds upward that develop into new shoots. In cross-section, stolons reveal a simple vascular organization, with vascular bundles arranged in a surrounding a central (in ) or scattered throughout the (in monocots), supporting efficient transport of water, nutrients, and photosynthates along their length. This , observable in histological studies, underscores their role as modified stems rather than or leaves. Stolons differ from related underground structures like rhizomes, which are typically thicker, with shorter internodes and subterranean growth, whereas stolons remain above ground and prioritize elongation for surface coverage. The term "stolon" derives from the Latin word stolo, meaning a sucker or , reflecting its branching function. Developmentally, stolons initiate from axillary buds at the plant's base, where environmental cues trigger their emergence and horizontal orientation. Elongation proceeds through and expansion in the internodes, driven by gradients that polarize transport from the apex toward the nodes, promoting root initiation at those points. Hormonal influences, such as and interactions, further modulate this growth pattern.

Functions and Ecological Role

Stolons serve a primary reproductive in through , producing genetically identical clonal offspring that promote uniformity within populations and enable rapid of suitable habitats. This vegetative mode of allows to bypass sexual processes, facilitating efficient spread in favorable conditions without reliance on pollinators or mechanisms. Ecologically, stolons enhance by enabling in heterogeneous or patchy environments, where connected ramets can translocate nutrients, , and carbohydrates to support in resource-poor areas. This clonal integration also confers , as stolons and their connections allow and assimilates to be shared between ramets, buffering and improving in arid conditions. Furthermore, stolons contribute to invasiveness in non-native , where clonal fragments store higher levels of sugars and compared to native counterparts, enhancing regeneration and competitive dominance post-disturbance. Hormonal regulation is central to stolon development, with (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA) promoting internode elongation and adventitious initiation at stolon tips. Gibberellins, particularly GA3, drive the growth phase by stimulating cell expansion and activity. (ABA) levels rise during transitions to tuber formation or , inhibiting further elongation, while the IAA/ABA ratio influences stolon size, with higher ratios favoring larger structures as shown in recent studies on and . Environmental factors modulate stolon responses through hormonal pathways; elevated CO2 concentrations enhance growth by increasing auxin-mediated elongation and soluble carbohydrate accumulation, thereby boosting and resource availability. Sucrose-induced stolon initiation, as revealed by 2025 transcriptomic analyses, involves coordinated hormonal signaling, including upregulated and pathways that trigger differentiation under high sugar conditions.

Examples and Applications

Common stoloniferous include the wild strawberry (), which produces long, above-ground stolons that root at nodes to form new plants, facilitating production in cultivated systems. The () similarly develops arching stolons bearing plantlets, making it a popular for easy propagation. Creeping bentgrass () spreads via prostrate stolons, contributing to dense turf in lawns and golf courses. In the (Solanum tuberosum), stolons elongate underground to swell into tubers, serving as the primary harvestable organ. In , stolons enable efficient vegetative propagation; for instance, protocols using stolon explants from the Hypolepis punctata have achieved high-efficiency regeneration, with up to 75.56% green globular body induction and 98.89% regeneration rates, supporting ornamental and medicinal . Timing of stolon removal in everbearing strawberries like '' optimizes daughter production and quality; stolon removal every 7 days resulted in 16 daughter plants per mother plant with larger individual size, while removal every 63 days yielded 102 daughter plants but reduced individual dry weight to 0.51 g per plant, with less frequent removals enhancing total accumulation. Stolons play a key role in and , particularly in , where stoloniferous grasses like bermudagrass () promote rapid vegetative spread and , reducing runoff by 32% and sediment yield by 60% in degraded sites. However, C. dactylon's invasiveness requires management, such as persistent manual removal of stolons and rhizomes or competitive exclusion through dense native planting, to prevent dominance in natural areas. Genotypic variations in stolon traits are evident in (Zoysia spp.) progeny, where initiation rates range from 2.2 to 8.6 stolons per week and elongation from 18.8 to 65.1 mm per week, influencing establishment speed and turf coverage across cultivars.

In Mycology

Structure and Development

In , a stolon is defined as a horizontal that connects sporangiophores or fruiting bodies in certain fungi, particularly within the (formerly ), and is often associated with rhizoids that provide anchorage to the substrate. These structures facilitate the lateral spread of the fungal across surfaces. Stolons are particularly characteristic of fungi in the order Mucorales, such as species. Structurally, fungal stolons can be aerial or bound to the , appearing as stouter, slightly arched hyphae with a larger compared to other mycelial elements; they are typically and coenocytic, lacking in actively growing regions, though some may develop incomplete . In mucoromycetes such as , stolons exhibit branching patterns that allow for extensive colonization, with nodes where rhizoids—short, root-like hyphae—emerge to anchor the fungus and absorb nutrients. Developmentally, stolons emerge from the at points of contact with the , elongating horizontally through apical tip growth before arching to form new nodes upon recontacting the surface, from which additional stolons and sporangiophores differentiate to support reproductive structures. This process enables rapid lateral expansion of the colony. For instance, endophytic studies on the Epipogium aphyllum have noted the absence of fungal in its stolons, highlighting differences in substrate preferences between fungal and plant structures. Unlike plant stolons, which are macroscopic, stem-like organs capable of producing adventitious and shoots, fungal stolons are microscopic, filamentous hyphae composed of rather than , serving primarily for vegetative spread and anchorage without or photosynthetic function.

Role in Fungal Reproduction

In fungal reproduction, particularly among saprotrophic molds in the phylum (formerly ) such as , stolons serve as horizontal hyphal runners that facilitate vegetative growth and support the development of reproductive structures. These structures anchor the to the via associated rhizoids at nodal points, while enabling the transport of nutrients and water absorbed from the environment to upright sporangiophores. This nutrient distribution is crucial for sustaining energy-intensive processes like production, allowing the to expand its colony laterally across organic substrates without relying solely on dispersal. Stolons play a key role in asexual reproduction by connecting multiple sporangia, which are sac-like structures at the tips of sporangiophores that produce and release sporangiospores. These spores, formed mitotically within the sporangia, enable rapid in favorable conditions, with stolons positioning reproductive sites optimally for spore release and . Additionally, stolons contribute to vegetative through fragmentation; breakage of the stolon due to mechanical stress or environmental factors results in independent segments that can develop into new mycelial colonies, promoting clonal expansion. While stolons have an indirect supportive function in by linking compatible hyphae of opposite , their primary contribution remains to mechanisms, which predominate in nutrient-rich, ephemeral environments. Direct research on stolon-specific roles in fungal has been limited since 2020, with most studies focusing on broader mycelial networks in saprotrophic molds rather than stolons per se; however, their established function in underscores an ecological importance in acquisition and . For instance, in contexts, fungal mycelial systems including stolons aid in breaking down organic pollutants, though stolon contributions are not distinctly quantified in recent analyses.

In Zoology

In Colonial Invertebrates

In colonial invertebrates, stolons are horizontal, tube-like structures that connect individual modules within a , enabling asexual growth and resource sharing. A prominent example occurs in hydrozoans (class , phylum ), where stolons, often called hydrorhizae, form a network of hollow, ectodermal tubes adhering to the . These originate from the basal disc of a founding and facilitate the of new polyps or hydrocladia (feeding branches), allowing colonies to spread across surfaces like rocks or . Structurally, hydrozoan stolons are covered by a non-living chitinous called perisarc, enclosing coelenteron extensions for transport and . This modular system supports rapid colonization and resilience to fragmentation, as seen in species like Hydractinia echinata, where stolons interconnect gastrozooids and gonozooids for efficient and in intertidal zones. In colonial , particularly (also known as ectoprocts), stolons are defined as horizontal, tubular extensions of the body wall that serve as connectors between individual zooids, facilitating colony growth through asexual budding. These structures are characteristic of stoloniferous colony forms, where zooids arise separately along the stolon rather than in compact, adjacent arrays typical of non-stoloniferous bryozoans. Stolons enable the modular construction of colonies, allowing for efficient expansion in marine environments. Structurally, stolons in bryozoans are typically hollow tubes composed of chitinous material; for instance, in ctenostome bryozoans, they feature a thin chitinous wall enclosing coelomic fluid, with proximal regions often exhibiting cuticular wrinkles for flexibility and attachment to substrates. They connect to autozooids (feeding units) via septal pore plates, permitting the exchange of coelomic fluid and nutrients through a stolonal funiculus. In some forms, such as endolithic bryozoans, stolons include specialized tubulets—small tubes extending toward the substrate surface—to aid in boring and colony establishment within hard substrates. These elongated kenozooids (non-feeding modules) often branch orthogonally, with distal expansions containing muscles for controlled growth along surfaces like polychaete tubes or rocks. The primary function of stolons is to support asexual reproduction through stoloniferous budding, where new zooids or satellite colonies develop from buds along the stolon, enabling rapid horizontal colony expansion and repair of damaged sections. This modular growth strategy allows bryozoan colonies to adapt to heterogeneous substrates, outcompete other sessile organisms, and recover from partial mortality, contributing to their resilience in dynamic marine habitats. In fouling communities, stolons promote the spread of colonies across artificial surfaces, influencing biodiversity and biofouling dynamics. Representative examples include the ctenostome Hypophorella expansa, where stolons form a network within host tubes, bearing lateral autozooids that alternate sides for efficient two-dimensional dispersal, and the cheilostome Bugulina stolonifera (formerly Bugula stolonifera), in which rhizoid-like stolons spread across substrates to bud secondary upright colonies, playing a key role in overwintering and seasonal recolonization. These structures underscore the adaptive modularity of bryozoan colonies in marine ecosystems.

In Segmented Worms

In segmented worms, particularly within the family Syllidae, stolonization represents a distinctive reproductive strategy involving the formation of a posterior stolon—a specialized dedicated to production—that detaches from the parent body through a process known as schizogamy, or followed by . This mechanism allows the benthic "stock" or parent worm to remain in its while the stolon serves as a mobile reproductive unit, often participating in synchronized swarming events for . Unlike vegetative stolons in or , which facilitate clonal growth, syllid stolons are temporary and epitokous, prioritizing dispersal over long-term survival. The stolonization process begins with the differentiation of posterior segments, where gonad primordia emerge early, followed by sex-specific development of testes or ovaries. In Megasyllis nipponica, this unfolds across six stages: initial gut kinking and primordia formation (Stage 1), sex determination and gamete maturation (Stage 2), eye development (Stage 3), antenna formation (Stage 4), elongation of swimming setae (Stage 5), and final detachment via muscular vibration (Stage 6). Gene expression patterns, such as peaks in vasa and piwi during early gametogenesis and rising nanos levels later, underpin this progression. Environmental cues, including lunar phases and moonlight, trigger synchronous stolonization in many syllids, coordinating population-level swarming for enhanced fertilization success; for instance, exposure to moonlight induces the process in M. nipponica and related species. Post-detachment, the stock regenerates its posterior end, potentially undergoing multiple cycles. Structurally, the stolon forms as an autonomous, worm-like with a simplified digestive tube, a dorsally positioned cerebral in its anterior segment, paired enlarged eyes, short antennae, and elongated swimming notochaetae for pelagic locomotion. It lacks a functional , , or proventricle, emphasizing its short-lived role in rather than feeding. This contrasts sharply with the stock's complex , highlighting the stolon's adaptation for release and evasion of benthic predators during swarming. The post-detachment stolon swims actively, spawning upon encountering opposite-sex individuals, after which it typically dies. Within the Syllidae, stolonization enables prolific swarming reproduction, as seen in genera like Myrianida, where chains of multiple stolons develop sequentially from the stock, facilitating mass mating aggregations in coastal waters. In Myrianida species, this chained formation amplifies reproductive output, with stolons detaching in succession to form dense swarms synchronized by lunar cues. Similarly, in Megasyllis nipponica, the syllid, single stolons detach for epitokous and spawning, contributing to the family's diverse strategies for ensuring across marine environments. This fission-based approach parallels colonial in certain but yields free-swimming, ephemeral units rather than persistent attached colonies.

In Paleontology

Fossil Evidence

Fossil evidence for stolon-like structures primarily comes from rangeomorphs, enigmatic soft-bodied that exhibited modular growth patterns suggestive of clonal propagation via horizontal runners or stolons. These structures are preserved as impressions of branching networks and filamentous connections between fronds, indicating through extension from a parent . Key examples include Fractofusus andersoni from the Mistaken Point assemblage in Newfoundland, Canada, where distal extensions of the central axis are interpreted as stolons facilitating colony expansion, dated to approximately 567.63 ± 0.66 Ma. Similarly, horizontal branches and connecting filaments observed in clusters of and related fronds at the same site suggest stolon-mediated dispersal, with impressions showing parent-child groupings up to several meters across. Preservation of these stolon networks is rare due to the delicate, non-mineralized nature of bodies, relying on exceptional conditions in deep-marine ash beds that captured fine details as positive epirelief or hyporelief casts. Body fossils dominate, with trace-like impressions of stolons appearing as linear or branching traces on bedding planes, often in dense assemblages covering large surfaces. The biota, including Mistaken Point and sites, provides the richest record, spanning ~575–560 Ma, while the White Sea biota in yields comparable examples in and clusters, dated to ~558–550 Ma, showing similar horizontal extensions interpreted as stolons. No major discoveries specific to stolon structures have been reported between 2023 and 2025 beyond refinements in existing assemblages. Beyond the , potential stolon-like structures appear in early colonial fossils, such as the interconnected tubular frameworks of archaeocyathid reefs (~530–520 Ma), though their as stolons remains debated due to the calcified differing from soft-bodied precursors. These are primarily body fossils from reefal deposits in and , with horizontal interconnections possibly representing modular growth akin to later colonial . Such evidence underscores the transition from Ediacaran networks to more rigid Cambrian forms, with modern bryozoan stolons providing interpretive analogs for understanding attachment and propagation.

Evolutionary Significance

Stolons played a pivotal role in fostering modularity among early multicellular organisms, particularly during the period (approximately 635–541 million years ago), by enabling through runner-like structures that facilitated rapid horizontal spread and colonial formation. In oceans, this mechanism allowed organisms such as fronds to produce closely spaced clusters, often interpreted as "conga lines," enhancing survival by promoting efficient resource exploitation and evasion of localized threats in nutrient-scarce environments. These stolon networks marked a key evolutionary transition from solitary, simple forms to interconnected colonies, providing a modular that could scale in complexity and adaptability. In biota, such as rangeomorphs, stolons supported propagule detachment and reattachment, laying groundwork for the diversification of colonial strategies that preceded the of bilaterian animals around 541 million years ago. The implications of stolon-mediated modularity extended to greater resilience against environmental perturbations, including potential extinction events, by allowing persistent vegetative propagation without reliance on sexual reproduction. This trait parallels developments in fungal and plant evolution, where stolons and analogous structures promoted clonal persistence and resource foraging, contributing to the colonization of terrestrial habitats. Research on stolon evolution remains limited in updates from 2023 to 2025, with ongoing studies highlighting potential indirect to early fungal terrestrialization, where fungi predated by up to 1.4 billion years and facilitated through hyphal networks akin to stolons.

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