Cryptocoryne auriculata Engler

Cryptocoryne auriculata is immediately recognized by its rather thick, stiff leaves, silvery green with dark markings. It is known from Sarawak where it grows on a few spots.

^{Click on the picture to get the full image (ca 50 k)}

C. auriculata from Sungai Entabei, Sarawak with the typical markings on the upper side of the leaves. photo Jacobsen	The same collection as left. The limb of the spathe bents forward. Note the green lower side of the leaves. photo Jacobsen	A cultivated specimen (emersed) of C. auriculata. Note the short,black purple  limb. The collar is clearly visible. photo Jacobsen	A cultivated plant from unknown origin. The limb is more or less twisted. Note the reddish tinge at the edge of the lower side of the leaves. photo Jacobsen
A rather dark, upright spathe of C. auriculata. photo Jacobsen	Already in the 1970's, Ingo Hertel from Germany flowered C. auriculata. photo Schöpfel	A bit more reddish limb of the spathe. Note that the limb bents forward. photo Schöpfel	A length section of the lower part of the spathe. The naked part of the spadix is very short. photo Schöpfel
Biotope of C. auriculata where Sasaki collected C. auriculata in 1999. photo Sasaki	Opened kettle of C. auriculata. The spadix is rather short. The tube inside is purple red colored. photo Sasaki	Drawing of C. auriculata in de Wit (1990) drawing Ike Zewald	Distribution of C. auriculata on Sarawak.

Though Cryptocoryne auriculata is well known from literature and is quite often imported to Europe, the plant proved to be very difficult to cultivate. There are very few reports on the flowering of this species. After a short time the species fades away from cultivation. In nature, C. auriculata grows between stones (see the whitish lower part of the petioles in the pictures at top), what indicates that the water is running fast in the rainy season

Jan D. Bastmeijer, 1 August 2000

Literature.

Arends, J.C., Bastmeijer, J.D. & Jacobsen, N., 1982. Chromosome numbers and taxonomy in Cryptocoryne (Araceae).II. Nord.J.Bot. 2 : 453-463.
Brown, N.E., 1880. On some new Aroideae. J.Linn.Soc.XVIII : 242-245, plate IV.
Engler, A., 1879. Cryptocoryne Fischer. Bull.Soc.Tosc.Ortic. 4 : 301-302.
Engler, A., 1882. Aracee della Malesia e della Papuasia raccolte da O.Beccari. In O.Beccari, Malesia 1 : 296-300, Abb. 27-28.
Engler, A., 1920. (Cryptocoryne, Lagenandra in) Das Pflanzenreich IV.23.F. Araceae - Aroideae : 232-249, Leipzig
Hertel, I. (?), 1976. Cryptocoryne auriculata. Info ZAG Wasserpflanzen 4-1976 (beilage).
Horst, K., 1981. Sind die Cryptocorynen aus Borneo für Aquarien geeignet ? II. Aqua-Planta 4-81 : 87-91 (cover).
Jacobsen, N., 1982. Cryptocorynen. Alfred Kernen Verlag, Stuttgart.
Jacobsen, N., 1985. The Cryptocoryne (Araceae) of Borneo. Nord.J.Bot. 5 : 31-50.
Merrill, E.D., 1921. A Bibliographic Enumeration of Bornean Plants. Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society : 106-109.
Mühlberg, H., 1980. Das grosse Buch der Wasserpflanzen. Dausien, Hanau.
Rataj, K., 1975. Revision of the genus Cryptocoryne Fischer. Studie CSAV, c.3.Praha.
Rataj, K. & Horeman, T.J., 1977. Aquarium Plants. TFH Publ, USA.
Ridley, H.N., 1905. The Aroids of Borneo. J.Str.Br.Roy.As.Soc. 44 : 169-171.
Sadilek, V., 1972. Neue Cryptocorynen VIII : Cryptocoryne auriculata Engler. DATZ 25 : 56-59.
Schöpfel, H., 1974. Der silbergrüne Wasserkelch, Cryptocoryne auriculata. Aq.& Terr. 21 : 154-155.
Schulze, J., 1971. Cryptocorynen aus Sarawak I-IV. DATZ 24 : 230-233, 267-270, 303-306.
Wit, H.C.D.de, 1959. Het genus Cryptocoryne 8. Het Aquarium 30(2) : 36-40.
Wit, H.C.D.de, 1990. Aquarienpflanzen, 2. Auflage. Ulmer, Stuttgart. ISBN 3-8001-7185-6.