Cryptocoryne purpurea
Ridley (1902)
Family: Araceae.
Synonyms: Cryptocoryne griffithii sensu Hooker, non Schott, C. aquatica J J. Hoede-man, C. purpurea Ridley f. concolor de Wit, C. hejnyi Rata], C. purpurea Ridley f. nana de Wit.
Etymology: Cryptocoryne: see C. affinis: purpurea: purple-red (color of the limb). Distribution: Malay Peninsula. •Description: Marsh plant. Leaves 5-25 cm petiolate. Blade ovoid to elliptical, obtuse to slightly cordate at the base, 5-12 cm long, 2-4 cm wide, submersed upperside dark green, underside light green, with irregular purple-red venation and lines; emersed blade smaller than submersed, upperside dark green to purple red-brown, underside reddish.
Spathe 7-20 cm, tube 3-13 cm, limb 3.5-5 cm long, short caudate, more or less erect, not or hardly twisted, rough to wrinkly (not mam-millate, as in C. griffithii), purple-red to purple-red-brown. A collar is missing. Throat zone wide, colored like the limb or orange. Female flowers 5-8. Male flowers 40-60. Number of chromosomes 2n - 34.
Culture: Cryptocoryne purpurea has previously only occasionally been cultivated in the aquarium. Jacobsen (1987b) recommends a temperature of 22-26 °C, a medium light intensity, and soft, acid water with a pH-value of 5-6. At the same time, though, he points out that the plants are adaptable. A not too nutrient-rich substrate, consisting, for instance, of sand or beech leaf mold mixed with peat and clay is suitable for emersed cultivation.
Ecology: Jacobsen (1986) reports on what must be the largest community of C. purpurea: the enormous lowland marsh area Tasek Bera on the Malay Peninsula. Refer to the detailed biotope description No. 12 on p. 43.
Other: Cryptocoryne purpurea was, until now, thought to have originated exclusively from Kota Tinggii (around 1900) and the habitat described above. The species used to be imported under the name of C. griffithii and not recognized as C. purpurea. The plant displays sterile pollen, which points to hybrid origins.
Limb of Cryptocoryne purpurea. Opened kettle of C. purpurea.
Limb of Cryptocoryne purpurea. Opened kettle of C. purpurea.
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