Genet (biology)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A genet is a population of plants growing in tight proximity which are all genetically identical. Although many plants reproduce sexually through the production of seed, some plants reproduce by underground stolons or rhizomes. Above ground these plants appear to be distinct individuals, but underground they remain interconnected and are all clones of the same plant. Individuals in these populations are referred to as a ramet. Aspen, Sumac and some wildflowers such as Mayapple reproduce using this strategy.
In 1992, the Guinness World Record for the "most massive plant" was awarded to Pando, a genet of Quaking Aspen trees (Populus tremuloides) in the Wasatch Mountains, Utah, USA, which covers 43 hectares (106 acres).
[edit] References
- Kricher, John C., Morrison, Gordon 1988, A Field Guide to Eastern Forests (The Peterson Field Guide Series), pp. 19-20. ISBN 0-395-35346-7
