Abstract: The patterns of the growth and development and the characteristics of the environmental responses of Zoysia japonica were studied inside and outside the greenhouse. The results showed that: in the same conditions, the sequences of formation were the multiplenode, root, Ta and Tb on the primary stolons; the rates of formation of the multiplenode and the attached organs on the primary stolons were linear and parallel each other, but the rates inside the greenhouse were usually slower than that outside; the formation of internode was a gradual process; 70% of the internode was elongated after the occurrence of the multiplenode and before the occurrence of the next multiplenode, 30% was elongated after the occurrence of the next multiplenode; in the environment outside the greenhouse, the secondary stolons showed similar characteristics of growth to the primary stolons in terms of the multiplenode and the attached organs, but Tb developed slowly than Ta, which might be related to the different patterns of resource translocation and allocation between the primary and secondary stolons, and among the attached organs; through linearly forward growth of the primary stolons and lateral growth of the suborder stolons, the ramets of Zoysia japonica clones might be placed into wider ecological space, ramet population might be expanded and the resource acquisition ability might be reinforced, which might enhance the ecological adaptation and the competitive ability.

Key words: Zoysia japonica, stolon, multiplenode, growth, development, clonal plant, Zoysia japonica, stolon, multiplenode, growth, development