Considering this temporal and spatial confinement of cell types with reticulated mitochondria,1 we conceive mitochondrial reticulation as a mechanism to allow for an efficient homogeniza-tion of the mitochondrial content, including mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and mtDNA products, during the vegetative growth of the SAM. It can be argued that other mechanisms, such as the elevated frequencies of transient fusion and fission reported for small, oval mitochondria in other cell types,15 could also account for the elevated rate of recombination that defines the plant mtDNA.12 However, this mechanism does not guarantee an equal distribution of the mtDNA after fission.15 We rather believe that the permanent presence of a significantly larger, common space may expedite the process of nucleoid encounter and thus make recombination more efficient. Furthermore, not only mtDNA recombination can be posi-tively affected by the presence of a permanent, large mitochondrion to fuse with and to divide from. This larger space has the potential to act as a pool of mitochondrial components that small, individual units may use to homogenize their protein content, prevent the accumulation of undesired mutations, and minimize the chances of containing no mtDNA. Additionally, it is also a means to ensure an equal partitioning of the chondriome between daughter cells during cytokinesis.