# Plant ID



## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

Can some one tell me what this is? It is a stem plant. It is floating right now. 


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi BruceF,

How about giving us a little background please. Do you live in the U.S. or overseas? Where / how did you acquire the plant? Nice color!


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

It is great color. I live in Colorado. The plant came from a member in Hawaii. It is a rotala or a ludwiga or something I have just forgotten. I did pm him but I am just being impatient. 

(Lots of light, plenty of nutrients, no co2.)


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

It's narrow leaf _Rotala macrandra_, aka magenta.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

Thanks Cavan
This is one hardy plant. I’m not sure why it is growing with this intense color right now. Some of it I know is the light bulb. 

I’m hearing it is sometimes aka ‘butterfly’.


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## K Randall (Nov 23, 2004)

BruceF said:


> Thanks Cavan
> This is one hardy plant. I'm not sure why it is growing with this intense color right now. Some of it I know is the light bulb.
> 
> I'm hearing it is sometimes aka 'butterfly'.


No, "butterfly" has even smaller, darker leaves, and is a lot more touchy. That is exactly the color Rotala macrandra narrow leaf should be. If it's not that color, it's not healthy.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

Thanks Karin. 
Is it actually Rotala rotundifolia var. macrandra.


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

rotundifolia and and macrandra are two different plants. I'm still going with my original answer.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

thanks. 
http://apps.kew.org/herbcat/detailsQuery.do?barcode=K000729654


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## K Randall (Nov 23, 2004)

I am sure Cavan is right about the species. And as he said, R. Rotundifolia and R. Macrandra are two different species.


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## wabisabi (Dec 4, 2010)

Bruce,

That is definitely Rotala sp. 'butterfly' that you got from me. I think the picture is misleading because it's showing mostly the undersides of the leaves. 

Also not many people can get the vibrant red that this species is known for.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

Thanks Wabi 
I do think the photo was a bit misleading. I am still curious about what the sp. part would be. It is a very hardy plant with great color.


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

_R. macrandra_. All those variations are _Rotala macrandra_. Still not sure that's the butterfly though.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

Thanks Cavan I am not disputing it so much as trying to get a hold on it. I think the
picture is misleading, the leaves are neither as large nor as intensely colored as in the photo.



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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Oh, I know. And that does look more like the butterfly.


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