Did see plantlets even all over leaf blade.
If they are good size - you remove them accurately - and they will root if covered.

irina

They were pretty tiny so I left them on the leaf and re-potted it. Pretty fascinating, though. I had never seen this before.

Thanks,
Linda

Leaf - removed from the plant - usually is growing babies at the cut - so if you damage the surface of the leaf - like nick the veins - you can get babies at these wounds - but sometimes it goes banana and starts producing babies all over. Probably depends on the amount of growth hormone the leaf produces as a reaction to the cut trying to heal the cut. So your petiole could have a scratch on it that created a growth point.

I.

It was interesting because I also noted that the petiole had split in two at some point while it was planted. (Also something I've never seen before.) There were babies along the split which didn't surprise me but the babies near the leaf looked like they were growing from a solid surface. So maybe there was a nick by the leaf that I didn't see. Sounds like an experiment opportunity!
Thanks,
Linda

I get the same effect c my Begonias. I'll have to start experimenting c my AV and see what happens...
Funny how two totally unrelated plants can possess such similar adaptations.

I think it is an adaptation of fast growing humid tropical climate plants. They grow fast, the tissue is soft and juicy - and torn pieces root easily and produce new plants let's say after rain - flood - animal damage. It is not working in dry climate plants because any wound dries and small plantlets wouldn't survive.

I.

Convergent evolution at work.