# Ceratopteris thalictroides (Indian Fern) growth forms



## sb483 (May 29, 2006)

I've seen discussion about this before, so I thought I'd share my own observations. Indian Fern seems to have different growth forms... or maybe they're actually different varieties of Indian Fern. Not just different leaf shapes for summer and winter, but different shapes in the same tank conditions.
Here's 2 plants in the same (10-gallon guppy) tank:
















They were bought at different times. The fern leaf shape in the front ceratopteris (with the more slender, elongated leaves) seems consistent throughout the plant. The shorter leaves in the fern in the back are also consistent throughout the plant. I've read on some sites that there may be different varieties of Indian fern (like Java fern vs lace Java fern), and on others that they're just different growth forms (like hygro difformis, which takes on so many forms - try it in brackish water, it'll turn orange/yellow ) of the same plant.

Anyway, the water's still cloudy; hope that'll clear up someday..


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