# Good ole PetLand



## kingearwig (Dec 14, 2008)

They had no idea what this plant was. Do you?








It appears to have one leaf growing per node and the lower growth I would assume is emersed growth. It appears to be a fast grower. I have had it a day and has grown about an inch


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

_Proserpinaca palustris_, Mermaid weed.


----------



## kingearwig (Dec 14, 2008)

well I just over looked that species because my plant is green but I think that is the one. Thanks HeyPK!


----------



## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

Then it's probably not the strain of P. palustris that was found in Cuba by Tropica. Interesting.


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

It might get more red if it had more light, less nitrogen, etc.


----------



## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

miremonster said:


> Then it's probably not the strain of P. palustris that was found in Cuba by Tropica. Interesting.


It seems that the Cuban _P. palustris_ is rather atypical. All plants we've collected in the US look like the photograph above.


----------



## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

Cavan Allen said:


> It seems that the Cuban _P. palustris_ is rather atypical. All plants we've collected in the US look like the photograph above.


Cool, that affirms my guess about the N-American P. palustris. The species was apparently cultivated long time ago in Europe but was virtually unknown in the hobby here up to the introduction of the P. p. from Cuba. Pics in old aquarium literature match rather the PetLand plant than the Cuban one. 
Btw., it's interesting that Proserpinaca palustris is distributed southwards to Brazil: 
http://www.tropicos.org/Name/15000055?tab=distribution
and that Proserpinaca amblygona is treated here as accepted name:
http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/record/tro-15000101
http://www.tropicos.org/Name/15000101?tab=specimens


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I vaguely recall seeing pictures of a red _Proserpinaca_ taken in Texas. I think it was _P. pectinata_, where the leaves are always fully dissected.


----------



## asukawashere (Mar 11, 2009)

HeyPK said:


> I vaguely recall seeing pictures of a red _Proserpinaca_ taken in Texas. I think it was _P. pectinata_, where the leaves are always fully dissected.


I think _P. pectinata_ is more prone to displaying red coloration than _P. palustris_. I once found a pond in NY that had been overtaken by rampant _P. pectinata_ growth... looked like the whole lake was on fire or something '


----------



## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

asukawashere said:


> I think _P. pectinata_ is more prone to displaying red coloration than _P. palustris_. I once found a pond in NY that had been overtaken by rampant _P. pectinata_ growth... looked like the whole lake was on fire or something '


Redder and somewhat smaller. A bit more delicate, in my experience.


----------

