How can bindweed be so persistent?

[hogmaw]

Hello folks, newbie here, and I have a question for you.

Bindweed is a common, invasive weed that can create new growth from tiny fragments of roots remaining after the main body of the plant has been dug out. Because it can regrow from tiny fragments, it's extremely persistent, and causes a lot of problems for farmers, gardeners, horticulture etc.

This may seem like no big deal, but when you consider the growth can be a shoot 20-30cm long, yet come from a fragment of root less than 1cm, and in complete darkness - how can this be?

[StringJunky]

27 minutes ago, hogmaw said:

Hello folks, newbie here, and I have a question for you.

Bindweed is a common, invasive weed that can create new growth from tiny fragments of roots remaining after the main body of the plant has been dug out. Because it can regrow from tiny fragments, it's extremely persistent, and causes a lot of problems for farmers, gardeners, horticulture etc.

This may seem like no big deal, but when you consider the growth can be a shoot 20-30cm long, yet come from a fragment of root less than 1cm, and in complete darkness - how can this be?

It seems that there are bud sites at  intervals along the roots. A piece an inch long can contain a bud and grow.

Quote

Buds at various intervals along the roots send up shoots creating new plants above ground.

http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/edComm/PDF/PNW/PNW0580.pdf