Cryptocoryne ciliata (Roxburgh) Schott

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Cryptocoryne ciliata is a species that grows from India to Papua New Guinea. There is little known about the variation through that range. Well known in cultivation are a broad and a narrow leafed form.The broad leafed form with typical short shoots in the axils with a chromosome count 2n = 33 and a narrow leafed form with long aboveground runners and a chromosome count of 2n = 22. But is premature today to make any generalization on distinguishing characteristics. This page only gives a impression of the variation known, no generalizations are to make at this moment. Information (and plants) from any localities are very welcome.

Cryptocoryne ciliata is named after the typical fringes on the margin of the limb of the spathe. The color of the limb may vary from whitish to deeply purple. This is a spathe of the "narrow" leafed form. Unknown origin. photo Bastmeijer	Unknown origin. A spathe of the "broad" leafed form. In the 50s there were many imports in the Netherlands and the plant was rather popular for aquarists. Today the plant is seldom seen in aquaria. photo Vlasblom	Unknown origin. The limb of the spathe rather wide and has a brownish color. photo Möhlmann	Unknown origin. The spathe is rather elongated and the collar has a high position. photo Jacobsen
Thailand. photo Jacobsen	Thailand. Inflorescence from the locality at left. photo Jacobsen	Malaysia (Johore). C. ciliata is common in the tidal creeks and streams. On high water, the level may rise for one meter. Note the stems of the Nypa palms. photo Bastmeijer	Malaysia (Johore). Cultivated specimen from the locality at the picture left. photo Jacobsen
Papua New Guinea (PNG). Emersed specimen of C. versteegii (left) and a broad leafed type of C. ciliata (foreground right) growing together in the Kikory River. photo Bruce Hansen	PNG. On the tidal mud banks near Kikory grows a narrow leafed form of C. ciliata. The plants are quite tall, up to 1 meter. Note the leaf of the Nypa palm, restricted to brackish water. photo Bruce Hansen	PNG. The two forms of C. ciliata from Kikory. The coin in the middle is an Australian dollar (2.5 cm diameter) photo Bruce Hansen	PNG. C. ciliata near Kikory growing submersed. photo Bruce Hansen
Singapore, Upper Thomson photo Chan	Singapore, Upper Thomson photo Chan	PNG. Inflorescence of the broad leafed form of C. ciliata. The narrow leafed form doesn't differ so much from this one. photo Armstrong	Spathe of C. ciliata. Unknown origin. photo Jacobsen
Indonesia (Java). Habitat near Surabaya. photo Wongso	Indonesia (Java). Note the narrow collar. photo Wongso	Indonesia (Java). Cultivated plant with fruit and the typical seedlings (see below) photo Wongso	Indonesia (Celebes) photo Bogner
Vietnam. Wilfried Maesen (Belgium) collected C. ciliata in the Mekong delta in Vietnam. Note the big Nypa palms, which are typical for the brackish water in the tidal area. photo Maesen	Vietnam. another locality in the Mekong delta. No inflorescences from Vietnam are known today. photo Maesen	Drawing of C. ciliata in De Wit (1990). Note the constriction in the kettle (lower part of the tube, containing the male and female flowers). drawing Ike Zewald	A nice limb of the spathe of C. ciliata. Unknown origin. photo Jacobsen
In the 1961 van Liet, Amsterdam, imported fruiting specimen of C. ciliata. This seed show the typical sack with the 'plumila' inside. photo van Bruggen	When the sack opens, the 'plumila' spread. When the seed is released it will drift away with the tidal current, the 'plumila'   probably serve for anchoring. photo van Bruggen	A young cultivated specimen of C. ciliata. Note the first leaves (top left) and the developing roots (white) among the 'plumila'. photo Möhlmann	In de Wit (1990) you find an exact (reworked) copy of the drawing found in Solly (1846) on notes of William Griffith. Follow the numbers for the development in time.
C. ciliata differs in regards to other Crypts in the way of making runners.  The "broad leafed" form with short runners in the axils, which easily break. photo Bastmeijer	The "narrow leafed" form makes aboveground runners of some 20 or more cm. photo Bastmeijer	Opened kettle of C. ciliata. The stigma's are typical sessile, making the appearance of the female flowers a bit different from other Crypts. photo Bastmeijer	Distribution of C. ciliata. It occurs from India to Papua New Guinea in the tidal areas.

Cryptocoryne ciliata is easy to cultivate both in aquaria and emersed culture. The "broad" form propagates rather quick with the short runners in the axils when growing emersed.

Jan D. Bastmeijer, updated Januari 2002

Literature.

Arends, J.C., Bastmeijer, J.D. & Jacobsen, N. 1982. Chromosome numbers and taxonomy in Cryptocoryne (Araceae).II. Nord.J.Bot. 2 : 453-463.
Bruggen, H.W.E.van. 1959. Cryptocoryne ciliata. Het Aquarium 29(7) : 159-161.
Bruggen, H.W.E.van, 1962. Cryptocoryne ciliata (Roxb.) Fischer ex Wydler. DATZ 15 : 275-277.
Engler, A. 1920. (Cryptocoryne, Lagenandra in) Das Pflanzenreich IV.23.F. Araceae - Aroideae : 232-249, Leipzig.
Hansen, B. 1995. Kikory kaleidoscope. Fishes of Sahul 9 - 3 :417-243.
Hoogendoorn, W. 1965. Generatieve en vegetatieve vermenigvuldiging van Cryptocoryne ciliata. Het Aquarium 5/11 : 253-255.
Jacobsen, N., 1980. Does Cryptocoryne ferruginea flower at full moon?. Aroideana Vol 3/4 : 111-116.
Jacobsen, N. Cryptocorynen, Alfred Kernen Verlag, Stuttgart.
Kasselmann, C. 1995. Aquarienpflanzen. Ulmer, Stuttgart.
Leach, J & P.L.Osborne. 1985. Freshwater plants of Papua New Guinea. The Universtity of Papua New Guinea Press.
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.
Vlasblom, J. 1957. Vegetatieve vermeerdering van Cryptocoryne ciliata. Het Aquarium 28(3) : 60-62.
Wit, H.C.D.de. 1958. A large and versatile Cryptocoryne. Fishkeeping and water life, july 58 : 434-435.
Wit, H.C.D.de. 1990. Aquarienpflanzen, 2. Auflage. Ulmer, Stuttgart.

When you like to read some older discussions on this amazing Cryptocoryne and see some extraordinary nice drawings:

Goebel, K. 1894. Cryptocoryne, eine "lebendig gebärende" Aroidee. Flora 83 : 426-435.
Griffith, W. 1851. Cryptocoryne. Not.Pl.Asiat.III:134-143; Icon.Pl.Asiat.3 T.170,172. Calcutta.
Griffith, W. 1851. On the Ambrosina ciliata of Roxburgh. Trans.Linn.Soc.London 20 : 263-276, Tab. 10-12.
Hooker, J.D. 1893. Cryptocoryne, Lagenandra in: Flora of British India 6 : 492-496.
Roxburgh, W. 1819. Ambrosina ciliata. Plants of the Coast of Coromandel III : 90-91, Pl.
Schott, H.W. & Endlicher, S. 1832. Cryptocoryne. Melemata.Bot. I : 16.
Solly, R.H. 1846. Comments on "On the Ambrosinia ciliata of Roxburgh by W. Griffith. Lin.Soc.I : 263-267.
Wight, R. & G.Walker – Arnott. 1844. Cryptocoryne. Icon.Plant.Ind.Orient. III : t.772-775.