Analysis on the growth strategy of creeping stem in Vitex trifolia var.simplicifoli adapting to sand burial

Vitex trifolia var. siinplicjfolia is a good ground cover plant and sand binder for coastal sandy land; it has a high tolerance for salt and drought and, in its natural environment of sand dunes, it is often buried by blowing sand. In these experiments, basis on the stolon length of V. trifolia, the four level of sand burial treatments were set up as no-sand burial, light sand burial (1/3 stolon length), moderate sand burial (2/3 stolon length) and severe sand burial (3/3 stolon). This study indicates that the apex of the stolon of V. trifolia is important to growth and plant survival under sand burial. When sand burial did not include the apex of the stolon, adventitious roots were produced along the stolon under half and full light and moderate sand burial. Growth fast of top of the stolon and produced adventitious roots maybe a key for V.trifolia to avoid being further covered by sand.