# What is this?



## The highlighter (Jan 22, 2014)

Hi, recently a friend gave me a tub of these aquatic plants. I am not sure what they are, and based on my research, they look like "mondo grass", which I have read, is not really aquatic. I am still kind of green when it comes to aquatic plants, as I have only used java moss and hornwart for my newts. It has long leaves, and he purchased them at a reptile expo. Each leaf is at least two feet long.

Thanks














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## The highlighter (Jan 22, 2014)

After doing a bit more of research, could it possibly be Eelgrass?


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## ddavila06 (Jan 31, 2009)

vallisnerias


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## AquaBruce (May 15, 2012)

I agree. It does look like _Vallisneria americana_ (eelgrass)


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## cstmgp (Aug 22, 2007)

Possibly jungle val? Not sure of scientific name.

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## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

Yes, definitely a type of Vallisneria. I can't identify which type though. I can only rule out Corkscrew & Nana.


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## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

I agree, definitely Val, but species ID and taxonomy is incredibly difficult and confusing in Vallisneria, except few distinctive ones like V. caulescens, V. triptera or the narrow-leaved Vallisneria nana forms (there are also broad-leaved V. nana variants, as "Tiger" = "Striped", mostly labeled as V. spiralis "Tiger").
Few years ago the genus Vallisneria has been reworked by taxonomists, with molecular analyses; a number of species that were synonymized with others are rehabilitated now, others, especially from Australia, are newly described.
As one can imagine, cultivated vals are often labeled with wrong species names. Corkscrew ones may belong to several species. Easily visible features like leaf length and broadth are hardly usable for Val species ID, it is mostly characters of the female flower, but these are often difficult to check, too; I wonder if determination is possible without DNA analysis 
http://www.eeb.uconn.edu/people/les/Manuscript_Files/Syst_Bot_33(49)[2008].pdf


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## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

Since we are talking about Vallisneria here, is it possible for different varieties of Vallisneria to cross breed? 

The reason I am asking is I used to have a tank full of Corkscrew Vallisneria (very obvious with the twisting leaves). Somehow when I rescaped the tank, I decided to introduce some extra unknown Vallisneria (no twisting leaves and very tall variety) into the tank. Now I've found out that all my Corkscrew Vallisneria have gone missing and the whole tank has been taken over by the tall variant of unknown Vallisneria. There is another possible theory that the tall variant might have won the "plants war" in the tank.


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## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

Hi totziens,
I'd exclude transfer of genetic material between your 2 vals in the tank as cause for that, it was surely the "plants war"  - the not twisted taller one, apparently more vigorous, has overgrown the other.

I don't know if Vallisneria hybrids are already detected, surely they can't be excluded. But it must be noted that Vals are dioecious, that means there are plants producing only male flowers providing pollen, and female ones, only with female flowers recognizable by their characteristic long stalks that spiral after bloom. Seed development only possible when both sexes with flowers are present, thus hybridization would take place only if there are male and female plants from different species.
I've seen a male Vallisneria only one time (brought by hobbyists from Africa, unfortunately I've lost it). Otherwise all flowering Vals I've seen were female ones.


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## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

Thanks, miremonster.

I had seen some flowers in the tank but I was not sure which plant produced flowers. It's more likely to be sag. subulata's flowers as I had them in the same tank too. It's very common for sag. subulata to produce flowers in my tank until I ignore those flowers. That's the reason I didn't even trace where the flowers came from...haha. I took it for granted...


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