Ungernia and "basal plate stems".
boutin (Sat, 06 Sep 2003 15:41:30 PDT)

Dear Jim and all,

An unusual thick "basal plate stem" occurs in Ledebouria viscosa. And in
some L. socialis forms I've examined, as the "bulb scales" wither they
expose a thin rhizome-like stem which functions for rooting and for
production of some offset bulbils. There appears to not be a plate-like
basal plate in L. socialis, at least in the forms I've dissected. The
growing center is elongate like a regular stem, extending way into the
"bulb" of clasping succulent leaf bases. If it doesn't have a basal plate
is it a bulb?

Fred Boutin
Tuolumne, CA