# Is this Red Temple (A. Reineckii)???



## ctyank (Oct 23, 2006)

No photoshopping here. These are the colors, but they seem extreme for Red Temple. Is this a variant like A. Reineckii "Purple"?


----------



## asukawashere (Mar 11, 2009)

Definitely Alternanthera reineckii. Most likely the common 'rosaefolia' type. This may come as a shock, but I've actually seen in in even more intense magenta before. When the plant is growing in ideal conditions, it gets some of the wildest color of any plant in the hobby.


----------



## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

Regarding Alternanthera reineckii 'Purple': as far as I've read somewhere, that's synonymous with A. r. 'Lilacina'. Can anyone confirm that? I'm not very familiar with the A. r. variants and can't really tell the difference between 'lilacina' and 'rosaefolia'.


----------



## asukawashere (Mar 11, 2009)

Taxonomically speaking, there is no difference. They're just trade names for plants with the vaguest of differences in their appearances underwater. Allegedly the 'lilacina' (yes, aka 'purple') is a tiny bit harder to grow, for unknown reasons. Color-wise, it's more of a burgundy/maroon as opposed to the red-to-fuschia of 'rosaefolia'. Not entirely sure where A. r. 'ocipus' fits in, but it seems to be vaguely more orange-ish. If you squint. A lot. Naturally, the distributors emphasize this by taking photos of it under distinctly yellow lighting.


----------



## SterlingArcher (Feb 11, 2012)

The same thing happen to my Roseafolia, I brought it for the purple hue and now it's just bronze red. 

The purple hue looks better imo, just can't figure out how to get it back.


----------

