gibell Aquarium Society

Echinodorus cordifolius 1

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Tropica Marble Queen'

Family: Alismataceae. Etymology: 'Tropica Marble Queen' = cultivar description, refers to the highly spotted leaves, especially on emersed plants. This pattern occurs through a differing quantitative distribution of chlorophyll within the leaf cells, resulting in a color pattern consisting of light and dark green and brown color tones. Description: Sturdy marsh plant, up to 50 cm tall. Leaves long petiolate, emersed narrow ovoid with a cordate base, acute, 15-20 cm long and 6-9 cm wide. Submersed blade initially lanceolate, 10-20 cm long and 2.5-5 cm wide, with increasing maturity shaped as in the emersed specimen. Inflorescence with adventitious plants.

Culture: Echinodorus cordifolius 'Tropica Marble Queen' is a decorative and unprob-lematic cultivar. Commercially available specimens originating from emersed cultivation completed by dealers appear specifically decorative and conspicuous through their chlorophyll layer, as was described above. Plants cultured in a hothouse will continue to grow well under water and are fast-growing.

The degree of impression of the spots will, however, decrease under conditions of submersed growth, so that the design pattern will eventually become less distinctly identifiable. Under weak lighting, the intensity of the spots appears to be stronger than under high light intensity. More light, however, will enhance the formation of anthocyans so that juveniles depict a strong red-brown touch.

Washed sand is sufficient for the purpose of cultivation. The plants tolerate medium-hard and hard water as well as pH-values within the slightly alkaline range. The tendency to form emersed leaves is very strong, which is why specimens that have matured too strongly have to be substituted with smaller ones after a couple of months. Other: This cultivar is not—as initially assumed;—a cross, but quite clearly a virus-infested plant. The virus quickly transmits itself from emersed plants to the floating leaves of waterlilies so care has to be taken! A cultivar patent was not issued.