# Ivy-like Aquatic?



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I found this little plant growing amongst the roots of a Spath. that a co-worker has on her desk. She had a 2 gallon Betta-bowl (half-full) with a Spath. sitting atop and the roots hanging in the water. The fish recently died (after 3 years in the bowl) and I was glancing at the muck accumulating in there when I saw this little guy hanging out submerged.










She has never noticed before and does not know what it is. At first I thought it was an off-shoot from the Spath., but the leaves aren't right. And the fact that it's been growing submerged for who knows how long made me question that as well.

The leaves are glabrous (not hairy) and seem to be alternate along the stem. The stem has roots at several nodes and the internodes angle slightly between each leaf. The base of the sheaths are wrapped almost completely around the stem. Any ideas?

Here are more pics:




























This final shot is in my aquarium. I'm going to attempt growing it out to see what it becomes (if algae doesn't get it first...). I appologize for the fuzzy pic, but that's the best my camera will do.










-Dave


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## hooha (Apr 21, 2005)

I have no idea but if it propogates submersed it's a cool find!


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## gibmaker (Jan 3, 2007)

I have never had it, but it kind of looks like marsilea minuta.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I found these two websites that have photos of Spathiphyllum seedlings and the leaves look like my mystery plant. I'm thinking it's just a young plant the began growing from a root and never developed a true 'form' because it has been submerged. Perhaps it was only able to live under water because it was attached to a root of the parent plant.

Hmmm&#8230;.

http://www.bioone.org/perlserv/?req...90/1054-5476(2006)42[291:ASMFMP]2.0.CO;2&ct=1

http://www.wschowa.com/abrimaal/araceum/spathiphyllum/wallisii.htm

-Dave


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