# Eleocharis Belem vs Eleocharis Japan (Japanese hairgrass)



## jab1978

*Eleocharis sp?*

Hi guys!,
Can somebody tell me the difference between Eleocharis sp parvula "Japanese hairgrass" and Eleocharis belem??

The leaves tend to curl downwards on both species, just wondering if there was an obvious difference between the two.


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## davemonkey

*Re: Eleocharis sp?*

_E. parvula_ is common in my area and I've not seen the leaves curl downwards when grown submersed. They always look erect to me. I've never grown 'belem'.

-Dave


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## jab1978

*Re: Eleocharis sp?*

From my understanding, there is Eleocharis parvula "Japanese hairgrass", grows short and leaves tend to curl downwards.

Eleocharis parvula "Dwarf hairgrass", also grows short like the "Japanese hairgrass" but the leaves remain erect.

Now, Eleocharis belem is new to me and only heard about this plant a couple weeks ago.
Never had the chance to grow it yet and compare.
We are a bit slow with new/introduced exotic plants in Australia, I hope we can get some available soon.


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## khanzer22

I'm going to make a trade for an Eleocharis belem from a fellow member (from another forum) for my Eleocharis japan... When we swapped pictures, I saw his eleocharis belem is very similar to my eleocharis japan (japanes hairgrass)... So now I'm confused with the difference between the two... Is it the same plant sp. but just called/named differently? I need some enlightenment and would like to know if I really have eleocharis japan... Here's a pic:










Thanks in advance!


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## khanzer22

_Mod, thanks for moving/adding the thread to an exisitng!_

So, They are both completely different sp.??? Hope someone who has/had Eleocharis belem could chime in and prolly post a photo as well for comparison...


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## Cavan Allen

I don't think anyone knows, and there's no way to know without fertile specimens to examine (with tiny inflorescences called spikes). There is no reliable way to differentiate them reliably by only vegetative means as far as I know.


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## doubleott05

and the mystery remains unsloved....

tune in next week....


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## Cavan Allen

doubleott05 said:


> and the mystery remains unsloved....
> 
> tune in next week....


I know you say that tongue in cheek, but if anyone would like to grow either or both of them emersed to get the fertile material we need, by all means have at it. The same applies to other plants of unknown or dubious identity. I can help with the rest.


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## khanzer22

Cavan Allen said:


> I know you say that tongue in cheek, but if anyone would like to grow either or both of them emersed to get the fertile material we need, by all means have at it. The same applies to other plants of unknown or dubious identity. I can help with the rest.


Thanks Cavan... As far as growing the Eleocharis Japan emersed, I think I might know someone who has it... I'll ask him if he already got it flowered and if he has photos of it... Though hope someone is growing Eleocharis belem emersed so we can ID and solve the mystery between the 2...


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## Cavan Allen

I would need the actual flowering specimens, although good photos never hurt.


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## khanzer22

Gotcha... Will check if he can give some specimens to send you as well...


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## fishyjoe24

I think, but I'm not 100% procent sure but I think tom barr over on plantedtank.net said he had some hairgrass belem and posted photos.


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## khanzer22

fishyjoe24 said:


> I think, but I'm not 100% procent sure but I think tom barr over on plantedtank.net said he had some hairgrass belem and posted photos.


I think I saw that thread over at tpt, thanks for the heads up... Though the description of their difference is also based on their submersed form... Like Cavan mentioned, we could really tell the difference if we have them flowered emersed... I might get some specimen (trade) of the belem in the next week or so, I'll try to grow some emersed as well as my japan...

Totally forgot to update about acquiring an emersed flower of the japan... Well, according to a friend, whom I got the japan from, he never saw his emersed japan flower for almost a year or two (I think) now... We even tried scouring through the mini jungle japan bush from our last plant club meeting and nada... Well I think I'm gonna update again once we get the japan flower... Any tips how to speed up the porcess???


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## Red Fern

Wow, this is a cool thread. I really like these hairgrasses in my tank. Reading these posts takes me back to my Local Flora class in college.

I tried looking up _Eleocharis belem_ and Japanese Hairgrass in plant taxonomy databases, I was able to find the genus but not the species. This makes me wonder if _Eleocharis belem_ is officially recognize? If anyone manage to get spikes of these plants under a dissectoscope, please be sure to take some pictures! :wave:


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## Cavan Allen

'Belem' is not a species name. Instead, it's a trade name. This is a case of the two getting mixed up.


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## Red Fern

^
Ah, that explains why I couldn't find it on databases.


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## Matt F.

Here is some eleocharis belem:



























Here it is again in my 55L grow out tank:









I'm also growing some emersed, but haven't given the plant enough light to flower. That's about to change.


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## Dave-H

Where do you get the belem? I am really liking the look of it and want to try it out in my 54g corner bowfront, but I can't find any!


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## skyluck2001

Greetings,

Very nice lawn. May I ask what substrate you are using in that picture. Thanks.


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## miremonster

Related threads:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plant-id/59650-eleocharis-minima-eleocharis-parvula.html
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...s-discussions/63330-dwarf-mini-hairgrass.html
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...293-eleocharis-parvula-growing-downwards.html
Names used in the hobby and trade for the rather short hairgrass(es) curling downward, as far as I have found:
Eleocharis "Belem", "Japan", parvula, minima, pusilla. E. pusilla is in Kasselmann (2010), Aquarienpflanzen, it seems to refer to the "E. parvula" that is sold in Europe, looking like the "Belem" in Matt's pics.
According to Kasselmann 2010 the species E. pusilla is native of Australia and New Zealand, it was imported from Australia by the company Tropica, it's in the trade since 1997 (also as "parvula").

Tropica itself labels its dwarf hairgrass as E. parvula. Who knows if it's still the same strain as the one from Australia then.
If the "Belem" above originates from plants collected in the area of Belem (Brazil) indeed, it shouldn't be E. pusilla.


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## Vadim S

height of the Belem about 2 cm


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## miremonster

> height of the Belem about 2 cm


OK; do You also have the hairgrass that is sold as Eleocharis parvula in Europe, and if so, does it get higher under Your conditions than the "Belem"?


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## Vadim S

Eleocharis parvula from "Tropica" in aquarium never less than 4-5cm. in good conditions even higher.


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## miremonster

Thx, interesting. Whatever species these hairgrasses might be botanically, good to know that they are different, and one can hope that they are not mixed up in the trade, as the different height is important for the use in aquascaping.

Just to be settled if "Belem" and "Japan" are different or not - at least the submerged look under same conditions.


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## Matt F.

This is driving me nuts. I've grown this submersed, emersed, with co2 and without.
I just did a "plant profiles" thread over at the SFBAAPS on Eleocharis "Belem"

Here is a cut'n'paste from that thread:

Okay, well, I didn't see a catagory for my favorite low maintenance foreground plant, so I'm creating one. 
Not much, if anything, is known about the origins of this low-growing dwarf hairgrass. I don't think anyone knows the actual species name, either. I do know that the grass we have circulating throughtout the SFBAAPS (and maybe in greater arenas now) originally came from Aqua Forest Aquarium in San Francisco. Years ago, AFA was selling this haigrass at $20 per quarter-sized pinch. I wouldn't be suprised if they were one of the original importers of this variety.

Growth Characteristics:

Phase I


























































































Initially fills in and stays low <2"

Phase II






















































when it runs out of room, and after multiple trimmings, it starts growing on top of itself. Max height 2-3"

Grown emersed:


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## Matt F.

I just rescaped my 60P a day before I took this picture. Removed some stems and gave the E. "Belem" more real estate:









A little background on how I came upon this plant...

Aqua Forest Aquarium in San Francisco (one of the two ADA distributors in the USA) was selling this plant by the pinch (about a 2.5 cm portion size) about 3 or 4 years ago. They had some of this growing in one of their show tanks. A few of the San Francisco Bay Area Aquatic Plant Society members bought some from AFA and grew it out, and I was lucky enough to aquire some a year of so later.

That's when I became obsessed with it.

According to a senior member at the SFBAAPS, people used to refer to this as just "Japanese Hair Grass." Then somewhere along the way, the name "belem" started to be used.

It's a freakin mystery...


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## miremonster

Beautiful lawn! It looks exactly like the stuff that's sold as "Eleocharis parvula" in Europe (e.g. Tropica), max. height also about ca. 2-3" in dense older stand.

@Vadim: So Your Eleocharis "Belem" remains only 2 cm / ca. 1 inch also in "phase II", when got dense, in contrast to Matt F.'s "Belem"?


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## Matt F.

When I got my initial portions of "E. Belem" from the members at SFBAAPS, they leaves were very short, very curly, and compact. No more than 1" in height (2.5cm). I guess with a high CO2/EI enviroment, the plant changes a bit to what you see in my pictures. Maybe it has to do with light level, too. IDK. 

Both forms of this plant were grown on amazonia aquasoil.

The plant came from one source, which stayed <2.5cm. I saw the tank they harvested from. 

I think this plant can look different in different tanks, but generally does not grow more than about 7.5cm (2.5") tall in high CO2, medium light, and EI. 

Another reason for the height increase in (what I call) phase 2 is the plant starts growing ontop of itself. It gets really thick.


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## BruceF

Eleocharis sp. 'mini' has even lower growth than the common Eleocharis parvula and was given to Tropica by Thomas Barr from US. Plant the mini-version in small portions covering a larger area. In short time, a dense carpet will be obtained. Needs light to perform optimal, however, it is one of the most secure species for craeting a carpet - and a minimum of maintenance since leaves stays small (3-5 cm). Suitable for nano-aquariums.

The cosmopolitan Eleocharis parvula has short leaves and fast growth making it one of the most impressive carpet-forming foreground plants, 3-10 cm tall depending on light conditions. It spreads rapidly by runners. It is a relatively easy and undemanding plant that does best with good light and a nutritious substrate. Can be planted in small portions in the substrate and can form a dense carpet in a matter of weeks given the right lighting and conditions. When the leaves get too long they can be pruned with scissors to about 2cm height, encouraging new growth.
http://www.tropica.com/en/plants/plant-list-a-z.aspx


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## miremonster

Hello Matt,


Matt F. said:


> When I got my initial portions of "E. Belem" from the members at SFBAAPS, they leaves were very short, very curly, and compact. No more than 1" in height (2.5cm). I guess with a high CO2/EI enviroment, the plant changes a bit to what you see in my pictures. Maybe it has to do with light level, too. IDK.


Assumed that: 


Vadim S said:


> height of the Belem about 2 cm


, it's possible that Your "Belem" is different from Vadim's "Belem", but identical to Tropica's "E. parvula".
But because the height of the hairgrasses is so dependent on conditions, age and crowd, as You've shown, I believe it's doubtful that there are really constant differences between these rather short curled hairgrasses as long as they are not compared under equal conditions for a longer time. Also regarding Tropica's Eleocharis sp. 'Mini' (again a new trade name for a hairgrass... )


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## ianmax

I received Eleocharis sp. 'Mini' from Tropica, i grow it in submersed and emersed mode. These are first inflorescences photos.
Here: http://www.rareaquaticplants.com/in...ntent&view=article&id=742:eleocharis-sp-japan


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## Yo-han

ianmax said:


> I received Eleocharis sp. 'Mini' from Tropica, i grow it in submersed and emersed mode. These are first inflorescences photos.
> Here: http://www.rareaquaticplants.com/in...ntent&view=article&id=742:eleocharis-sp-japan


How high does it get emersed vs submersed?


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## ianmax

hello, (excuse my english please)
after planting, you wait a variable time, when new stolons grow you cut all old leaves (about 0.5cm). New leaves will be very very short.


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## Matt F.

I've had my "belem" or "Japanese Hairgrass" grow emersed for over a year. it has never flowered despite having a major growth spurt in the spring time. It just sends out more runners. No flowers or seeds to the "belem" from the SFBAAPS source. This suggests to me that the stuff that AFA imported is a different than the sp. mini from tropica that Tom allegedly sent them. In contrast eleocharis acicularis and parvula comes with seeds from FAN and is shipped in rockwool.

I'll have to contact Tom to see if he, in fact, did send them some "belem" and where he got his.



ianmax said:


> I received Eleocharis sp. 'Mini' from Tropica, i grow it in submersed and emersed mode. These are first inflorescences photos.
> Here: http://www.rareaquaticplants.com/in...ntent&view=article&id=742:eleocharis-sp-japan


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