[Prev][Next][Index]
re: Pistia
Jan,
Kew Gardens, the major British botanical collection, has a relatively new
glasshouse (named after the Princess of Wales) which has a huge tropical
lake surrounded by plants of all sorts, as well as shoals of splendid
fishes. Well worth a look for any aquarists visiting London!
Anyhow, the pool has natural lighting, and the Pistia is almost a plague.
It grows on the water and also over onto damp soil. The plants get very
large, perhaps as much as 20 cm in diameter, with many runners and daughter
plants.
I have found that Pistia doesn't do well in aquaria for two reasons:
dripping condensation from the hood causes the leaves to decay; and the
leaves burn if they touch the lights.
Generally the plants look much smaller, and are flatter (less cabbage
like). I suppose they would do better in an open aquarium lit by suspended
halide lamps or something that wouldn't interfere with growth.
Regards,
Neale.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
From Neale Monks' Macintosh PowerBook, at...
Department of Palaeontology, Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD
Internet: N.Monks at nhm_ac.uk, Telephone: 0171-938-9007
--------------------------------------------------------------------