Re: Name that sword

["David Whittaker" <dwhitt at sympatico_ca>]

Echinodorus latifolius which I have been growing for years
is a very prolific weed. Sometimes it remains short,  somtimes it grows tall
as in Rachel's photo, often flowering. If other plants start to shade it, it
starts to grows taller, and remains that way. It seems to be indifferent to
most growing conditions and grows well in plain gravel.

I am or have grown what has been sold to me as E. tenellus,
E. quadricostatus, and Sagittaria. They have all exhibited
similar variation in leaf size. Frankly I find it difficult
to tell one from the other although they all started out
looking quite dissimilar. E. quadricostatus and E. tennelus
haven't propagated as quickly as the other two, and the
latter has stayed shorter showing less variation in leaf size.

Of course the two inch variety of E. tennelus is unmistakable.

All five of the above propgate by runners. If I were to
recommend any of the them for the average-lit tank, it would be the E.
latifolius followed by the sagittaria.

E. parvaflorus var tropica does poorly for me in a plain
gravel substrate, but it does sell well at auction.

Regards,