# Plant identification assistance please



## jim21 (Aug 11, 2007)

Hello, 

I received a great used plant, but cannot determine what it is after viewing thousands of images online. Worse part is I know I've owned this plant before a very long time ago, so I should recall the name, but age (or beer) must be catching up with me. Any assistance determining what I have is appreciated. 

Leaves are light green and very similar to aponogetons ulvaceus - same color/shape, just not as long, leaves seem to grow to a max length of about 4-6" and have a longer stem than aponogetons ulvaceus. The base is large and appears to have the scars of previous leafings, much like you would see on a tropical palm tree. The base does root down. 

A picture is attached, and more can be provided if needed. 
Please let me know if I can provide any additional information and *Thanks* in advance for any assistance! 

-jim


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## gas (Jul 27, 2006)

sorry I cant help you for the ID but it seems very strange that base like a palm tree.
Really want to know what is it, hope someone can help you more than me


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## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

It looks like a Nuphar japonica with very short petioles or leaf stems. The leaves are the typical lily shape and translucent just like mine, but mine has petioles up to 12" long.
I'm not sure about the not rooting though, mine eventually sends out really long roots like all lilies. The base is the rhizome, which usually runs horizontally along the substrate. There are other species in the genus so it might not be this species, but I've never seen any others in aquaria.


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## jim21 (Aug 11, 2007)

Thanks ED! I'm sure it's some sort of Nuphar - a post/image on thekrib suggest it could be Nuphar sp. (not sure what the sp stands for), aka Spatterdock.

If that's the case, I hope the suggestions that the clippings don't last more than a few months aren't true - it appears mine is a clipping.

We'll see....

Thanks again!!
-jim


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## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

No worries. Mine was a cutting from rhzome too and it's doing great. A year old plus and going strong. In fact I've had to take it out and cut off a load of rhizome as it was over 8" long! There's a baby one too!

The 'sp.' means species. Basically it mean it's a species in that genus, but they don't know which one, or it's an unidentified species.

Good luck with it and hope it does well. You may want to plant the rhozome horizontally along the substrate as this is it's more natural habit of growing.


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## gas (Jul 27, 2006)

oh ed congrats for ID.
Now I know it's a Nuphar Japonica and I agree for the ID, just the base seems strange to me.


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## jim21 (Aug 11, 2007)

Thank you very much for your information and assistance Ed, I really appreciate it!

One last question if you don't mind please:
You mention planting the rhozome horizontally along the substrate, is that completely covering the rhozome in the substrate (sand in my case), or just set on top of the substrate?

Thanks again,
-jim


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## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

No worries.
I part buried it so that you can see the top half of the rhizome. I had to wrap a load of lead around it initially to weigh it down. When I replanted it it had more roots so I could bury them without burying the rhizome. Is that clear? Think I'm rambling slightly!

Good luck with it, this has to be one of my very favourite plants, can't understand why it isn't more widely grown.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I hope you removed the lead. It releases soluble lead compounds.


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## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

HeyPK said:


> I hope you removed the lead. It releases soluble lead compounds.


Really? I was under the impression that under aerobic aquarium conditions it quickly forms a coating of lead oxide (PbO) which is insoluble. I thought it had to be ingested to be toxic or exist as some soluble salts of lead?
AFAIK, it's never caused problems in any tanks I've kept and some of those are very soft water acidic tanks. I do remove it when I don't need it any more, but mainly so I can use it again!


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I have seen pictures where lead strips were kept in the aquarium, and they killed the stems they were wrapped around along with everything else within about a quarter of an inch. Lead is bad at any level. It is much better to weight down stems with pebbles.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

HeyPK said:


> I have seen pictures where lead strips were kept in the aquarium, and they killed the stems they were wrapped around along with everything else within about a quarter of an inch. Lead is bad at any level. It is much better to weight down stems with pebbles.


If the pH of the water is below 7 lead can leach into the water, but above 7 it is very unlikely. In either case if you do weekly 50% water changes you won't get any significant amount of lead in the water. I have used lead strips for years and never have seen a plant affected by it - if you wrap more than three stems together with anything they tend to die for lack of light. Still, it doesn't pay to risk lead in the tank, so I have switched to pieces of lead-free solder. Better safe than sorry.


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