While repotting Hepatica acutiloba, I was surprised to see new buds developing from small roots that had started to rot and weren't connected to the rhizome. I’ve read that Japanese yellow Hepatica and H. henryi can also develop new buds from the roots, but I had never heard that H. acutiloba did as well. Propagating Hepatica from rhizomes is the common method, but some of the species seem to develop new buds from roots as well.
This is very good news since Hepatica propagation is a very slow process, and another new possible way to propagate is a great help for folks who propagate these lovely plants!