Table 1.

Characteristics of adventitious aquatic roots formed on partially and completely submerged Cotula coronopifolia and Meionectes brownii

Species	Treatment	Length of longest aquatic roots (mm)	Diameter (mm)	Soluble sugars (dusk) (μmol hex. eq. g−1 DM)
C. coronopifolia	Partial submergence	485 ± 4·0a	1·3 ± 0·06a	105·8 ± 3·18a
C. coronopifolia	Complete submergence	255 ± 16·5b	1·2 ± 0·03a	13·6 ± 0·14b
M. brownii	Partial submergence	327 ± 14·8a	1·1 ± 0·08a	56·2 ± 2·03a
M. brownii	Complete submergence	186 ± 16·9b	1·1 ± 0·08a	20·1 ± 0·19b

Roots were taken from plants which had been submerged in a 20/15 °C day/night phytotron for 28 d. Length and diameter were taken from the five longest roots on each replicate plant, with diameter being measured 5 cm from the root/shoot junction. Tissues for sugars were collected at sunset and are expressed in hexose equivalents (hex. eq.) on a dry mass (DM) basis. Data presented are means ± s.e., n = 3. Different letters indicate significant differences at P < 0·05 (comparisons within species for each characteristic).