It was quite a surprise when Wongso and Ipor found a new Cryptocoryne in the northern part of Sumatera (Indonesia). This plant resembles in the vegetative part strongly both C. pontederiifolia and C. moehlmannii but has distinct hairs on the leaf margin and the lower side of the blade. The spathe of C. wongsoi has much longer tube.

In the dry season the habitat dries out ... coll. SW1507 photo Wongso	... but the soil is humid to faciltate growth. coll. SW1507 photo Wongso	A close up of emersed growing plants. coll. SW1507 photo Wongso	C. wongsoi is very easy to grow, here in a mixture of coarse sand and peat litter, with an additional ferilizer. coll. SW1507, cult. B1623

C. wongsoi propagates very abundant and flowers easy. coll. SW1507, cult. B1623	A fresh openend limb of the spathe, the limb upright. There is no elevated rim "collar" betwee, throat and limb. coll. SW1507, cult. SW photo Wongso	This limb twist backwards... coll. SW1507, cult. B1623	... and this one forewards. coll. SW1507, cult. B1623

An old limb, c 3 days open. coll. SW1507, cult. B1623	the smooth transition of throat and limb. coll. SW1507, cult. B1623	Lower side of the leaf, scale in mm. coll. SW1507, cult. B1623	Opened lower part of the spathe, usually named the kettle. Scale cm. coll. SW1507, cult. B1623

Female flowers in the lower part of the kettle. coll. SW1507, cult. B1623	Male flowers on the upper end of the spadix. coll. SW1507, cult. B1623	pollen grains are presed out of the male flowers and are fully stained with cottonblue, indicating that they are fertile. coll. SW1507, cult. B1623	C. wongsoi is known from only locality in northern Sumatera.

C. wongsoi resembles strongly C. pontederiifolia and C. moehlmannii in the vegetative parts, The hairy lower sideand must flower to be sure for identification.

Cultivation is easy in a sand-peat litter mixture but can also grow in fagus soil. Flowering all over the year. It must be a good aquarium plant.

literature:
Bastmeijer, J.D., Budianto, H., Ipor, I.B., Ørgaard, M.& Jacobsen, N. 2016. Crryptocoryne wongsoi (Araceae), a new species from Sumatera, Indonesia. Aroideana Vol. 39 no 2: 4-14 (Document service)

updated 15 February 2018