The crispatula  group

In 1977, Jacobsen collected many species of the 'crispatula group' in Thailand, by which he could resolve the problematic taxonomy in this group by jumping a lot of them in Cryptocoryne crispatula (Jacobsen 1980). In 1991 he introduced the var's balansae, crispatula, flaccidifolia, tonkinensis and yunnanensis. These are mainly based on differences in the spathe, especially the markings on the limb. As the leaves are very variable in nature, even in one locality, this is the best solution. In the aquarium practice with only a few forms available one might prefer 'simple' names, but nature is more complicated. Don't worry too much about that and just appreciate variation and realize that intermediate forms will exists. You definitely have to abandon the idea that one can describe all the variation in nature.

The Cryptocoryne crispatula group consists of the five var's of C. crispatula together with C. albida and C. retrospiralis.  The other (more or less) linear leaved species from the mainland Asia, C. consobrina, C. cruddasiana and also C. spiralis are shown here to facilitate the comparison. The key's provided by Jacobsen for the crispatula group are included and also the references.

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C. crispatula var. balansae is the only one with bullated leaves which may be up to 4 cm broad. photo Jacobsen	C. crispatula var. crispatula has narrow leaves with (mostly) an undulated margin. The leaves stand upright even when emersed. photo Jacobsen	C. crispatula var. flaccidifolia has long, mostly undulated leaves. When emersed they don't stand upright. photo Jacobsen	C. crispatula var. tonkinensis has very narrow, soft leaves which don't stand upright when emersed. photo Jacobsen
C. crispatula var. yunnanensis has relative short stiff leaves like the var. crispatula. The spathe is distinct. photo Gerlach	C. crispatula var. planifolia has broad smooth leaves with a red lower side. The spathe is fully white, both inside as outside. photo Zhou	C. crispatula var. decus-mekongensis has a broad white linb of the spathe covered with red dots. photo Idei
Other narrow leaved Cryptocoryne
C. albida is very distinct. Rather broad, lanceolate leaves from green to brown and a wide opened limb of the spathe. photo Jacobsen	C. retrospiralis is quite like C. crispatula var. crispatula but differs in details of the limb, having red dots in stead of lines. photo Jacobsen	C. sivadasanii is named after Sivadasan and is found in Kerala State, India. A difficult to maintain plant with a seasonal character. photo Bogner	C. spiralis is a well known plant from India. There are many forms and some of them are well suited for the aquarium. Leaves are long lanceolate. photo Bastmeijer
C. cruddasiana is recently recollected in northern Myanmar (Birma). The spathe is very distinct. photo Bogner	C. consobrina is native in India but it is only known from the herbarium. For some time another plant, now named C. sivadasanii,  was assumed to be this one.		Distribution of C. crispatula (all vatieties) in SE Asia.

All plants of the 'crispatula group' are easy to cultivate. Most grow in a calcium rich environment, limestone, and will prefer hard or at least neutral water. Some forms have so called 'monsoon leaves', the leave reduced to the main vein, like chives. This is well known from C. retrospiralis (when cultivated at higher latitudes in winter) but is also known for some forms in the crispatula group.
Practically spoken, as far as I know, only the Crispatula var. balansae and crispatula are to day in cultivation by hobbyists. The other var's and the other species mentioned here are not, except C. spiralis perhaps.

See Jacobsen's key for the albida / crispatula group.

Jan D. Bastmeijer, update January 2006

Literature.

anonymous, 1976. Cryptocoryne sinensis Merrill. Monographia Cormophytorum  Sinirorum 5 : 373.
anonymous, 1979. Cryptocoryne yunnanensis H.Li. Flora Republicae Popularis Sinicae, Tomus 13(2):39.
Arends, J.C., Bastmeijer, J.D. & Jacobsen, N., 1982. Chromosome numbers and taxonomy in Cryptocoryne (Araceae).II. Nord.J.Bot. 2 : 453-463.
Beest, M. te, 1998. A taxonomic study of the genus Cryptocoryne (Araceae) of South India. Thesis Dep. of Botany, Univ. of Calicut.
Bogner, J., 1998. Cryptocoryne crispatula Engler var. sinensis (Merrill) N. Jacobsen. Aqua Planta 23(3) : 120-122.
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