# Cryptocoryne species



## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

I've been reading through my Kasselmann book about Crypts and noticed that a lot of the names in stores and among hobbyists seem to be synonyms. After double checking with the PlantFinder and a few other online sources here are the correct (?) names or synonyms of some of the crypts I have. The Synonym is first with the correct name after:

C. lutea = C. walkerii
C. lucens = C. x willisii 
C. balansaea = C. crispulata var. balansaea
C. petchii = C. beckettii
C. spiralis - I'm not sure if this is the correct name or not  

C. parva
C. wendtii

I recently redid my 30g and will be keeping this tank as a low light tank (2wpg) with mostly Crypts, Anubias, and Java Ferns. As a result, I have a bunch of extra crypts I can spare if anyone is interested. I know Jack was interested in some at the last meeting but I forgot to bring them to the meeting.


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## J.Sipes (Jul 7, 2004)

MatPat said:


> I've been reading through my Kasselmann book about Crypts and noticed that a lot of the names in stores and among hobbyists seem to be synonyms. After double checking with the PlantFinder and a few other online sources here are the correct (?) names or synonyms of some of the crypts I have. The Synonym is first with the correct name after:
> 
> C. lutea = C. walkerii
> C. lucens = C. x willisii
> ...


O the joy of synonyms...this is very common with alot of the plants in the hobby.Also with alot of the crypts. you really need to flower them to make a 100% ID unless the source was reliable.
I am intereted in a few crypts for my emersed tank,soon to be tanks,I have plenty of the walkerii,but the others would be nice...Let me know what you have Matt and maybe we can swap a few others that I have!!


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

Allow me to put in my two cents here...

C. petchii is NOT a synonym of C. beckettii. Although C. petchii falls within the same species as C. beckettii, C. petchii is a different plant (it is the triploid form of C. beckettii).

Same deal with C. x willisii and C. lucens. C. x willisii is a shorter, smaller plant than C. x willisii "lucens" which grows considerably taller. I believe C. x willisii "lucens" is a hybrid between C. x willisii and another species (C. walkeri?).

So if you have C. petchii, don't start saying it is C. becketii and spread it around that way. They may belong to the same species, but they are certainly different.

Carlos


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

Thanks Carlos! 

I finally thought I was able to ID some of the crypts I have since I purchased Kasselmann's book. The synonyms were taken from her listings as synonyms. I know the book is a few years old but it seems to be the best out there right now for the average hobbyist. Where do you find all of this information? 

How is the average hobbyist supposed to sell Crypts without flowering them for 100% identification? It seems as though the best information we can get without a flower is from either books, online sources, or the tag at the Pet Store and we all know how reliable those tags are  I purchased C. lutea from a LFS and have it in two different tanks. It doesn't even look like the same plant!

I don't have either C. petchii or C. beckettii. I just put them in there since they were listed as synonyms by Kasselmann also. Further reading in Kasselmann's book pointed out that C petchii is a triploid form of C. beckettii, but it is still listed as a synonym  Even the Plantfinder calls it C. beckettii "Petchii"


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

besides being considerably shorter, willisii has considerably more brown than lucens. Lucens is practically all green for me.


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## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

Is that Lucens still doing well Matt? I may have to confiscate 1 plant from you


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

Simpte 27 said:


> Is that Lucens still doing well Matt? I may have to confiscate 1 plant from you


It is and it is nice and green in the 55g. I am tempted to move some around to the other tanks and see if it changes color or grows any taller.

Thanks for the help on the Lucens ID Gomer.


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

The plant is labeled C. beckettii "petchii" because C. petchii was once considered a separate species. This is what they mean when they state "synonym" in taxonomy. Are these two separate species? No. Are they genetically different with different growth morphology? Yes! When we do the description and information for C. beckettii, it will be listed separately under a separate page. Same with all the plants you have mentioned.

All the cryptocorynes I have came labeled, so I am pretty positive I have the right ID on all of them. One has to put a little trust into the renowned nurseries they are coming from. 

So, what you are looking at as synonyms are not the same plants. Yes, same species but genetically different in one way or another.

This information should be in Kasselmann, and also on Jan Bastmeijer's great and very thorough site. In fact, if you want information on crypts, the best place to go is straight to his site.

Carlos


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## SCMurphy (Jan 28, 2004)

I don't trust half the 'labels' that I got crypts under. I might think I have 30 species, but I probably only have 8 species and another 22 varieties of wendtii.


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## EcleckticGirl (Jul 26, 2005)

Simpte 27 said:


> Is that Lucens still doing well Matt? I may have to confiscate 1 plant from you


I have some of the Lucens in my 20 gallon, Damon. They'll be moved to my paludarium where I am hoping to see some different growth patterns instead of where it is in the back of the tank.


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

SCMurphy said:


> I don't trust half the 'labels' that I got crypts under. I might think I have 30 species, but I probably only have 8 species and another 22 varieties of wendtii.


Can I please have a Wentii 'green x murphy' please


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