Cryptocoryne hudoroi Bogner & Jacobsen

In the 80s of the last century, two Cryptocoryne plants from Borneo were collected which closely matched the very rare C. bullosa. It was very interesting, for it means that the area for the plant was greatly widened. The same enlarging of the area was found for other Cryptocoryne, for example for C. longicauda: it fits the picture. So it was a great surprise to find that the chromosome number for the two 'new' plants turned out to be 2n = 20, only known hitherto for C. striolata (Arends et al. 1982). The inflorescence of both 'new' plants were not known, so a big challenge to find out. In short, both plants turned out to be a new species, C. keei from West of Kuching (Sarawak) and C. hudoroi from North of Banjarmasin (Indonesia).

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

This is a submersed cultivated Cryptocoryne hudoroi. They grow very well in a normal aquarium. photo Bogner	Fresh imported plants of C. hudoroi. Note the (immature) spathe and the fruit (also immature). photo Bogner	The first picture of C. hudoroi from a collected specimen. photo Hudoro	Emersed cultivated plant of C. hudoroi. The soil mixture is enriched with some calcium to prevent too acid conditions. photo van Wijngaarden
An immature (not yet opened) spathe of C. hudoroi. Note the strongly twisted limb and tube. photo van Wijngaarden	Note the only two leaves of this plant. Though it proved extremely difficult to flower it, you don't need such big plants. photo van Wijngaarden	The limb of the spathe of C. hudoroi is very long and more or less twisted. In contrast to the picture left, the tube is strongly twisted. photo van Wijngaarden	Length cut of the lower part of the spathe with the male (top) and the female (bottom) flowers. photo van Wijngaarden
The left blade is C. keei with the typical brown depressions in the leave. At right a leave of C. hudoroi. photo Kettner	Drawing of C. hudoroi in Jacobsen (1985) showing the long twisted limb of the spathe. drawing Marianne Krøjgaard	C. usteriana from the Philippines can have the same size of C. hudoroi. The inflorescence is quite different. photo Bastmeijer	Known distribution of C. hudoroi. It is only known from a few spots North of Banjarmasin.

Cryptocoryne hudoroi is an easy to grow plant for the aquarium. It is imported rather often, so the chance to find this one is rather big. The leaves can become rather tall, the blade up to 25 cm, in contrast to C. bullosa and C. keei which do not reach the half of this size. Another plant, C. usteriana from the Philippines has about the same size, form and structure. The latter mostly has a more red lower side of the leaves.

Jan D. Bastmeijer, 1 February 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.
Bogner, J., 1989. Cryptocoryne hudoroi Bogner et Jacobsen. Aqua-Planta 1-89 : 12-16.
Bogner, J., 1990. Weitere Angaben zu Cryptocoryne hudoroi Bogner & Jacobsen. Aqua-Planta 1-90 : 10-13.
Ehrenberg, H. & J.Bogner, 1992. Cryptocoryne keei N.Jacobsen. Aqua-Planta 4-92 : 135-138.
Jacobsen, N., 1985. The Cryptocoryne (Araceae) of Borneo. Nord.J.Bot. 5 : 31-50.
Kasselmann, C., 1986. Eine neue, empfehlenswertige Cryptocoryne : Cryptocoryne hudoroi Bogner et Jacobsen. Aqua-Planta 4-86 : 145.
Kasselmann, C., 1995. Aquarienpflanzen. Ulmer, Stuttgart.
Möhlmann, F., 1987. Cryptocoryne hudoroi Bogner et Jacobsen. Das Aquarium 219 : 479-480.
Wijngaarden, P.van & J.D.Bastmeijer, 1996. Der Blütenstand von Cryptocoryne hudoroi Aqua-Planta 21(4): 167-169.
Wijngaarden, P. van & J.D.Bastmeijer, 1997. Cryptocoryne hudoroi Bogner & Jacobsen (1985). Het Aquarium 67(2) : 43-45.
Wit, H.C.D.de, 1990. Aquarienpflanzen, 2. Auflage. Ulmer, Stuttgart. ISBN 3-8001-7185-6.