# Mystery Grass



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Just wanted to post this before I go (be back Monday).

This grass has been this height for several months. It was growing on a piece of lava rock which I had some Bolbitus attached to. The lava rock came from my garden. I have some _Eleocharis sp_. in my yard, but this has grown VERY slow compared to _Eleocharis sp_. Note the segment-like markings on the leaf blades. It has runners similar to E. tenellus, but very thin, and a fibrous root system.

When I get back, if there have been no ID's, I'll post more pics of an uprooted plant.

For size reference, that is _Anubias nana _'petite' behind it and _Fissidens fontanus _beside it. The thin leaves that are somewhat blurred (with the GSA on them) are a very small variety of _Lilaeopsis sp_.










-Dave


----------



## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi davemonkey,

With the segments it reminds me of a reed, rush, or horsetail type plant.


----------



## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

Looks similar to the _Lileopsis sp_. I have in the corner of one of my tanks. I'd have to say, for the time being, that it reminds me of a _Juncus sp_., but that's really stretching for a genus at this moment as there are many other plants that have similar morphology.

Bring some to the plant ID contest meeting in Livingston on Tuesday and I will take some back and grow it out in the Wetland-n-a-Box. If nothing else it'll give me another edge species to border my open water area with the _Eleocharis parvula_, but more importantly a reason to open it up and clean the glass for some updated pics.


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Mudboots, I'll bring you some (if not the whole tank it's in). But I have to warn you, it is anything but an "edge" plant. It started off very slow, but lately it is growing at a phenomenal rate and spreading everywhere!


----------



## Jim Lockhart (Jan 27, 2004)

Davemonkey. I have a very similar looking plant , it came from Florida Nurseries, id tag says Lilaeopsis mauritius.

Jim.


----------



## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Jim Lockhart said:


> Davemonkey. I have a very similar looking plant , it came from Florida Nurseries, id tag says Lilaeopsis mauritius.
> 
> Jim.


If that's what it is, it would be _L. mauritiana_. Mauritius is where it was found.


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I was never able to get an ID on this, so I planted some in a emerged set-up (tupperware container with some clay soil). It's been growing for a couple months now and I finally noticed a difference. At the very tips of some of the leaf blades are little knobs. Perhaps these will become repro structures of some type.

The lastest guess on this is American Pillwort, _Pilularia americana_, by the way. I will keep this thread updated as things happen.


----------



## Tausendblatt (Sep 16, 2009)

What a loverly species.


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

*A progression of what happend today from 7 am to 3 pm*: All the pictures are of the same exact tip. I won't be here tomorrow to check for an update, but Wednesday afternoon I'll look to see if there are any more changes. So far, the grass looks much the same emersed as submersed.


----------



## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

I have word from a specialist that this looks like an _Eleocharis_ species. Can you press a specimen Dave? We'll know then.


----------



## TarantulaGuy (Apr 15, 2009)

Send me some and I'll key it out with my Flora of the Great plains keybook. It'll be in the book, guaranteed. Granted, you'd have to press it, and mail it to Alaska first


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Cavan Allen said:


> I have word from a specialist that this looks like an _Eleocharis_ species. Can you press a specimen Dave? We'll know then.


Sure, do you need a mature seed head fisrt? I have a press in my office, so I can press at a moments notice.

Watch it turn out to be plain-ole' dwarf hairgrass... 

Tarantulaguy, thanks for the offer. Cavan is a little closer (if you call Maryland closer) so I'll send it to him.

-Dave


----------



## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Dave, 

I hope you have more of this. He said that fruits are needed in this case. Do you have a few you could let mature? The fruits (achenes) should be visible when the nutlets mature and the scales spread out a bit.


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I gave them to mudboots, but they are still intact. I'll call him to let him know to save some for maturing.

-Dave


----------

