Aponogeton bulb formation?

[clint2642]

I have two aponogetons in my tank which I have had growing for a few months now. One is kinda small and not doing to well, but the other is absolutely huge and taking over the tank.

Well the big one started growing these weird stalks that arent like the flower stalks or leaves. Its got one main stalk, another smaller stalk, and a third quickly on its way (among several leaves). On these stalks, they start out with a kind of "calyx" like tip, which opens up at the top of the water, and yeilds another stalk and several smaller floating leaves, at a node like point. The stalk part that comes out of the node leads to another node which sprouts several more of these smaller leaves.

At each one of these "nodes" on these weird stalks, they have begun swelling up into a bulbous shape and have even begun growing their own roots. Each one of the nodes that split off of one of the weird stalks are swelling up and forming their own roots even though they are at the top of the water.

This is my first time with apono's (or any plants, got lily's too). Is this their way of forming their own bulbs? Or are they like bulbletes or tubercles or whatever they are called?
Should I wait for the stalks to continue to grow into full bulbs then cut em? Or should I just cut them now and plant them?
Will they even grow into full sized bulbs that can be harvested, dried and saved?
Will the plant just naturally drop the stalk and bulbs when it is ready to do so?

Let me post some pics of what I mean I know its kinda hard to understand.

Here is the main apono that is making these stalks:

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fishpictures/data/516/medium/P1010087.JPG

Next is a couple of pics of the weird stalk and how it splits. It also shows the "nodes" where it splits to show how its starting to look like a bulb:

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fishpictures/data/516/medium/P1010087_3_.JPG

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fishpictures/data/516/medium/P1010088.JPG

Here is a closeup:

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fishpictures/data/516/medium/P1010092.JPG

any thoughts or advice?

[SkipW]

Looks like a root to me. Try cutting it off just below the root/bulb and plant it as a new plant. See what happens. I have other plants that shoot new roots out from the middle. Not sure why.
I don't know about aquatic bulbs, but I think regular bulbs are harvested during a dormant period. So if the plant seems to be dying off, this may be the plant going dormant to store up more energy in the bulb.
Do you know what variety of Aponogeton this is?

[clint2642]

Hmmm. Well it has two other stalks beginning to do this, one of them has 3 bulb things forming on it. It doesnt really appear like its dying off, its still growing new main leaves but it does appear like the new leaf formation is tapering off though, like slowing down.

Unfortunately, no I do not know what type it is. I had bought a small pack of the bulbs from wal-mart but they never grew, so I sent the 3 bulbs back to the company and they sent me back a manilla envelope with a handful of fresh bulbs along with a dwarf lily and a rubra (red lily). So its probably a mix of different species. Cause I started two of the bulbs in my tank and they both grow differently. One grew slower and short and kinda flat and spread out, almost like some crab grass or something, also its leaves are skinny and way straighter. The larger on in the pic above grew fast and tall and closer together, with fat leaves that are more wavy.
Also the larger one when it first sprouted, it immediately grew a flower stalk before any major leaves formed. But it only made it halfway up the tank before the fish broke it off and ate it, so after that it just kept growing leaves.

[troy]

They look like stolons(runners).

[clint2642]

Yeah thats what people were saying at other forums (that they are runners). I think i may have an identity, people are saying its an undulatus.