# Two mysteries and rhizome splitting question



## ladyofshallot73 (May 4, 2005)

Okay, a few mysteries. What is this plant? It was mis-labeled at the same place I bought the submerged neanthebella palm and the guy there had no idea what it was (at least I asked). I loved the red stems and couldn't resist.









http://www.hibernum.net/fish/mystery.jpg

Also, one of my swords put out a shoot right after I planted it that shot right out of the water. Anyone see this before? Is it a flower or a new plant?

Should I guide the shoot back into the substrate?









http://www.hibernum.net/fish/swordshoot.jpg

My last question is this -- I have an anubius in another tank that's getting pretty big and was wondering about propigating it, specifically rhizome splitting -- can I manually split this plant by cutting it, or should I allow it to make new rhizomes naturally?


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

I don't know what the first one is. It looks superficially like a Ludwigia but isn't one.  Keep us updated on whether it actually grows submersed. I'm betting it won't. 

The shoot on the sword plant will grow submersed plantlets if you keep it under the water (no need to push it into the substrate) or emersed plantlets and flowers if it makes it out of the water.

You can cut the Anubias rhizome into smaller pieces if you like. Leave about two to three leaves per section.


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## ladyofshallot73 (May 4, 2005)

*Still growing ...*

It's putting out lots of new roots at the base and up the stem, which I'm guessing could be an indication that it is not an underwater plant. I saw a few pics on the AGA site of the contest tanks that looked like this plant, but after looking up all the names can't find anything else like it.


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## Error (Apr 16, 2004)

I have had a lot of terrestrial plants that were sold as aquatic plants act like that. I think it's what's commercially sold as "red" or "cherry hedge" (Alternanthera ficoidea).

Interesting name, ladyofshallot...did you get that from the Waterhouse painting?


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## ladyofshallot73 (May 4, 2005)

Actually, from the poem :>) I always choose screen names from titles of books, songs, or poems I like. Pretty generic I know.

I saw another similar plant like the one I bought in the archives, someone thought it might be "Nesea Pedicellata". Still have no clue. I took it out of the water, planted it in soil and it wilted in a matter of hours so I put it back in the water. So seems like a true aquatic. We'll see!

Hey, Error, you're pretty close to me. If you want some amazon sword plants I've got some extra (mine had babies), maybe we could swap sometime.


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

ladyofshallot73 said:


> I saw another similar plant like the one I bought in the archives, someone thought it might be "Nesea Pedicellata". Still have no clue. I took it out of the water, planted it in soil and it wilted in a matter of hours so I put it back in the water. So seems like a true aquatic. We'll see!


True aquatic plants don't have roots (ie. Egeria densa, Cabomba, Hornwort). The reason it might be wilting is that it needs a relatively high humidity to keep it's leaves from drying out and don't worry, the leaves will need to change from submersed to emmersed. As for classification, I don't think it's Nesea sp. as Nesea has thinner leaves. To me it looks like it's either a Ludwigia sp. or Hygrophila sp.

HTH


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Raul-7 said:


> True aquatic plants don't have roots (ie. Egeria densa, Cabomba, Hornwort). The reason it might be wilting is that it needs a relatively high humidity to keep it's leaves from drying out and don't worry, the leaves will need to change from submersed to emmersed. As for classification, I don't think it's Nesea sp. as Nesea has thinner leaves. To me it looks like it's either a Ludwigia sp. or Hygrophila sp.
> 
> HTH


Hornwort does not have true roots. Cabomba species sure do, as do most true aquatic plants (Blyxa, most Aponogeton, etc).

Again, that is clearly _not_ a Ludwigia. It _may_ be a Hygrophila, but I doubt that too.


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## Error (Apr 16, 2004)

It's this plant with red stems. "Cherry Hedge":


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