Leaves forming new plants- biology question?

Question

Have a biology presentation, and there's one area of question that I have. My textbook says that under certain conditions, leaves that have fallen to the ground can produce new plants, much like plantlets. I've searched online but have found no answers. Any help? The leaf is not cut; it's only fallen.

Answer 1

Most plants from the Crassulaceae family could produce new plants from leaves........Examples are Kalanchoes and Jade Plants....

Some are from the Gesneriaceae family like Saintpaulias...

Answer 2

Best example for this is the Bashful Plant (Kalanchoe pinnata). Its leaves when fall to the ground can produce new plantlets that is because the margin of the leaf is a region of actively dividing cells called meristem thus capable of forming new plantlets.

Answer 3

Jade plants will do just that. They are a large shurb/ tree-like plant native to South Africa and often grown as house plants. Whenever a leaf falls to the ground they produce a new plant. Scroll down to read about propagation it the site below.

Another plant that does the same thing are Donkey Tails. Oddly enough they are in the same family as the jade plant. They too will grow new plant from leaves dropping off the plant.  I have  witnessed this numerous times at home as occasionally the leaves fall off of my plant at home without me ever knowing it and behold I notice a whole new plant growing in the pot with the old fallen leaf attached.

The second site is a picture of a Donkey Tail.