gibell Aquarium Society

Heteranthera zosterifolia

• Aquarium Plants

Martius (1823)

Family: Pontederiaceae. Synonyms: Schollera zosterifolia (Martius) Kuntze, Heteranthera osteniana Herter. Etymology: Heteranthera: see Heteranthera reniformis; zosterifolia: with leaves similar to the Zostera genus.

Distribution: Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina.

Description: Submersed rising or erect, often branched shoots, strongly root-developing on the lower nodes. Emersed leaves only in high humidity, very similar to the submersed ones, slightly more sturdy and shorter. Submersed leaves alternate, sessile, glabrous, linear or spatulate, up to 5 cm long, 3-7 mm wide, light green in color. Floating leaves up to 2 cm petiolate, lanceolate, up to 2.5 cm long, 10 mm wide.

Flower formation after the development of floating leaves. Inflorescence axial, about 2 cm petiolate, surrounded at the base by a 15-mm long spathe, with 2 about 10-mm sized flowers, 1 flower sessile, the other short petiolate. Perigone tube up to 12 mm long; peri-gone 6-lobed, in 2 circles; outer tepals hardly larger than the inner ones, colored blue-violet; throat dark blue, no yellow spot; 3 stamens, one longer than the other two; 1 style. Fruit is a trilocular capsule. Culture: A decorative; easy to keep, but light-demanding stem plant, H. zosterifolia grows well in both soft and hard water. Sand is adequate as a substrate. Optimum temperature range is 23-27 °C. Depending on the aquarium's size, the shoots are planted in the front or middle zone. A well-prospering group must be replanted in a benched setting every 2-3 weeks. Beautiful contrasts can be created through a combination with numerous red-leaved species. Due to the abundant production of lateral shoots, reproduction does not pose a problem. If one wants to observe the small blue-violet flowers, the shoots will have to float to the water surface. Ecology: Populates stagnant or slow-moving waters with submersed or floating shoots, or emersed in moist locations.

Inflorescence of H. zosterifolia.

Inflorescence of H. zosterifolia.

Heteranthera zosterifolia (center).

Heteranthera zosterifolia (center).