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re: Bob Lewis' Mystery Plant
------ Forwarded Message ------------------------
Date: Mon, 07 Oct 1996 16:30:03 -0400
From: Christina Gasperson <ChristinaGasperson at ij_net>
To: aquatic-plants at actwin_com
CC: rxman at cei_net
Subject: Bob Lewis' Mystery Plant
Bob Lewis wrote:
>>I received a large shipment of plants yesterday from a mail-order source. One plant was a substitution and was identified as an Ammania. It
certainly does't like anything like any Ammania in my references (these
all appear to be stem plants) nor does it look like anything else I could
find. The substitute plant resembles a Crypt but has rigid leaves and
stems a little like an Anubia. It has a fleshy rhizome with rootlets
also similar to an Anubia but the rhizome is not horizontal like
Anubias but it may have been sliced. The leaves amd petioles are about
equal, about 3 inches long. The leaves are olive green on the top and a
bright garish wine-red on the underside with prominent veins. The leaf
edges are finely serrated. From my poor unscientific description can
anyone suggest what this is?
Bob:
The plant you are describing is actually Lobelia cardinalis. It is the emergent growth, and as it grows out
it will change in appearance to the Lobelia cardinalis you are familiar with. The Ammania you received is
also emergent growth. When it grows out it will have red leaves that are somewhat curled in appearance and
will look totally different than what you see now. You should start noticing the changes within several days
after they are planted.
The reason that plants are grown in nurseries in the emergent form (out of water) is that they are easier to
grow. They also take shipping better and acclimate better once they are submerged in the aquarium.
Darin Gasperson
The Aquatic Greenhouse
103077.2000 at compuserve_com
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/DarinGasperson