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Re: Marsilea



>Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1999 16:01:58 EST
>From: Piabinha at aol_com
>Subject: South African Marsilea; Marsilea cultivation
>
>from your previous description, i knew taht the species you were talking
about
>was not schelpiana, which is smaller and has narrower "fronds" or "leaves"
>(sorry, my fern terminology is not so up to date).  it would be great to
get
>some macrocarpa introduced into the hobby, it sounds like a great plant,
with
>large floating leaves.
>
>anyone knows where i can find info on cultivating Marsileas?  my friend at
the
>botanic garden gave me some but they are not doing well in my 10 gallon
tank
>(very acidic and soft water, fine gravel substrate).
>
>tsuh yang chen, nyc
>


I grow 4 (perhaps 5) of the 5 native species of Marsileas found here in
Australia. Most seem to be marginals that grow into the water and want to
float if the water is deeper than a few inches or erect/emerse if shallower.
They aren't too fussy about temperature but prefer a fertile substrate (with
some nitrogen) and plenty of light, They grow very well for me outside in
full to half sun in shallow trays of mud with about 2" of water. They also
do well in floating styro trays in my pool and trail into the water.

The only one i grow in aquaria is M. angustifolia (the shortest, smallest
and narrowest of them) and as Mr Amano has demonstarted it carpets nicely,
but not as densely as Glosso but needs Co2 and bright light to do well. I
feel that ph around neutral (6.5 to 7.5) should be OK. In aquaria the
quadrifoliate form of the fronds changes to uni or sometimes bilobate.



Regards,
Bruce.

Bruce Hansen, A.N.G.F.A., Advancing Australian Aquatics.

Bruce Hansen, ANGFA, caring for our aquatic ecosystems.

Please visit us at http://www.ozemail.com.au/~fisher/angfa.htm