Cryptocoryne crispatula var. planifolia H. Zhou, H.W. He & N. Jacobsen
Click on the picture to get the full image (ca 50 k)
It was a great surprise in January 2010 when Hang He Wei and Zhou Hang found a new Cryptocoryne in the Guangxi province in S China. Apparently it belongs to the crispatula group, according to the spathe, but with its long and broad smooth leaves with a red lower side if differs from all known varieties.
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| The upper stream with shallow water coll. Zhou ZH2010-01 photo Zhou |
... depth ca 20 cm with a gravel bottom, half shaded. coll. Zhou ZH2010-01 photo Zhou |
The lower stream with a more muddy bottom. Partly sunny. coll. Zhou ZH2010-01 photo Zhou |
Flowering abundantly in January with a white spathe. coll. Zhou ZH2010-01 photo Zhou |
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| Spathe length up to 30 cm. coll. Zhou ZH2010-01 photo Zhou |
Fully white in- and outside. coll. Zhou ZH2010-01 photo Zhou |
An emersed specimen with shorter leaves. coll. Zhou ZH2010-01 photo Zhou |
A submerged plant with a clear red lower side of the leaves. coll. Zhou ZH2010-01 photo Zhou |
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| A submerged growing plant ... coll. Zhou ZH2010-01 photo Zhou |
... the lower side red, ... coll. Zhou ZH2010-01 photo Zhou |
... idem, with more narrow leaves... coll. Zhou ZH2010-01 photo Zhou |
... lower side of the leaves. coll. Zhou ZH2010-01 photo Zhou |
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| The half shaded stream is a contribute to a bigger river. In that river, at ca 20 m from the stream with var. planifolia, grows var. flaccidifolia (right in the picture) in full sun. coll. Zhou ZH2010-01/02 photo Zhou |
An immature fruit of var. planifolia. coll. Zhou ZH2010-01 photo Zhou |
Length section of the kettle showing the spadix with the male flowers (top) and female flowers (bottom). Note the reddish top half of the kettle. coll. Zhou ZH2010-01 photo Zhou |
Distribution of C. crispatula var. planifolia in the Guangxi province, S. China. Up to now there is only one record for this plant. |
Water parameters indicate that var. planifolia may be suited for a cool aquarium, temperature ca. 20 C.
Jan D. Bastmeijer, December 2010
Literature:
Li, H. & N. Jacobsen, 2010. Cryptocoryne in the Flora of China, Vol. 23: 20-22. (see the Document service for a download)
Zhou, H., H.W. He & N. Jacobsen, 2010. Eine neue Varietät der Cryptocoryne crispatula Engler (Araceae) aus der Provinz Guangxi, China. Aqua Planta 35(4): 134-138 (see the Document service, included an English translation)