# Rotala mexicana roundup



## ashappard (Jun 3, 2006)

I have 4 variants of Rotala mexicana so far but on the lookout for more.
post if you have others! I'd like to know what else is out there.










the R.mexicana's have flat and slightly downward arching leaves.
the stems appear to be segmented, and all but the R.mexicana 'green' are about the same size.

does anybody else think the R.mexicana 'belem' looks a bit like
a mini version of L.'pantanal'? Some still do call it Ludwigia 'pantanal mini'


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## hooha (Apr 21, 2005)

awesome comparison photo!

I don't have any others myself, but I"m envious of your collection


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## ashappard (Jun 3, 2006)

yeah, the Rotalas can be addictive and I really like the smaller low growing ones. I think there is at least one other R.mexicana that is about the size of R.mexicana 'green' but is red. I cant seem to find it though. I'm sure there are several others just waiting to be collected. 

as a side note, I was looking through some of my photos from early 2008 and I realize that I had Rotala 'araguaia' back then for a short time. I had gotten it from lowcoaster as Rotala pusilla emersed form - but the leaves never did get to look like what I was expecting and so I tossed it. Now I try to keep everything and figure out what it is later. If I remember correctly it was crazy cheap, like $7 for a big bunch of stems.


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## ashappard (Jun 3, 2006)

speaking of small and low growing, to the far right you can see a stem of Limnophila mini 'vietnam'. Its like a tiny version of L.aromatica and it clumps up and creeps along the substrate. I think it will make a nice foreground plant.


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## hooha (Apr 21, 2005)

dude, you beat me to my question about that plant 

do you have any pictures that demonstrate the creeping growth of these plants?


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## ashappard (Jun 3, 2006)

hooha said:


> dude, you beat me to my question about that plant
> 
> do you have any pictures that demonstrate the creeping growth of these plants?


I'll probably have some better pictures of a grouping in 2 or 3 weeks. I just recently got a few stems, its still acclimating but beginning to grow out. So far I think it will be an easy one to grow.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Adam your collection makes me drool!!! Sure wish I lived close. I'd love to do some trading. Course you might already have everything I have! Loving all the varieties and photos! Keep 'em comin'...


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## ashappard (Jun 3, 2006)

Tex Gal said:


> I'd love to do some trading. Course you might already have everything I have!


oh I doubt that  I dont have the room (yet) to keep everything I collect long term. So I usually have to collect something more than once. Besides, I've netted some pretty good stuff in trades with you.

remember the Limnophila 'wavy' you sent me? Its growing pretty good now and shows a bright lime green color. now I have another -- Limnophila punctuata Blume (which I believe is just a syn. for L.aromatica). It looks kinda like the wavy, but darker more crinkled leaves. It doesnt seem to branch as much as the Limnophila 'wavy'.


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## Dan S (Nov 28, 2008)

You do a great job in all your comparison photos!!:clap2: I'm so hooked on the Rotala's myself I can't seem to get enough. I'm finding them very addicting. I'm even trying to figure out a neat way of setting up a tank with just Rotala species. You got me on the Rotala mexicana 'belem', I'm going to have to keep my eyes open for that one! 
Do you have aquariums full of these various plants and remove individual stems for the comparisons photos or do you just find various individual stem cuttings just for collection purposes?

Dan


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## ashappard (Jun 3, 2006)

pretty much all of my sq footage is growouts, so no hardscape or layout strategy except to help manage flow. for pics like the R.mexicana comparison I'll clear a spot and line up some cuttings. usually they stay there a while and I'll snap them as they grow out.

I'm trying to get better organized, making a little progress this year. I collect stuff and grow it out, now I'm trying to maintain a steady collection rather than moving on and ditching the plants I've tried. Collecting rotalas is a tall order  So many sp. and then the variants.


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## Vadim S (Nov 16, 2008)

ashappard, your R.mexicana 'belem' is similar to my plant http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plant-id/61414-plant-id-please.html
the same plant?


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## ashappard (Jun 3, 2006)

yes! I think you are correct.
so far my tallest stem is about 4 inches.
For me it is not so easy to grow, more difficult than R.mexicana 'araguaia'


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Hey Adam, I think the new Ludwigia species I just got might be this R. mexicana 'belem'. After looking at Vadim S pxs and seeing that it was sold to him as a Ludwigia it's awfully suspicious. Wouldn't that be a kick!

How will you be able to tell if it's a Rotala or a Ludwigia? Will you have to flower it?


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## ashappard (Jun 3, 2006)

Tex Gal said:


> Hey Adam, I think the new Ludwigia species I just got might be this R. mexicana 'belem'. After looking at Vadim S pxs and seeing that it was sold to him as a Ludwigia it's awfully suspicious. Wouldn't that be a kick!
> 
> How will you be able to tell if it's a Rotala or a Ludwigia? Will you have to flower it?


examination tells me mine is a variant of Rotala mexicana, but I'm obviously not an expert so flowers would nail it. I'll have to get it growing good enough to break the surface  and I'm not interested in floating it at the moment.

one problem with photos is scale. this one I have is a small plant, about the size of Rotala mexicana 'goias'. So far around 1 inch diameter max. Mine has been passed around as Ludwigia 'pantanal mini' for a while, and also as Rotala sp. 'belem'. When I see the flat and slightly downward curling leaves and the form they take along with the segmented stems, that makes me think Rotala mexicana. Time will tell, I plan to keep growing this one out since the color and size is very nice. I think Cavan knows a Rotala expert, maybe we can get an opinion? I like the way the the specialists recently did DNA testing on the Sao Francisco Irecienu to determine its definitely an Aciotis, more work like that on our mystery spp. would be great.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Well what I have is much larger than the Rotala mexicana, maybe 2 times as large. Once it grows out I'll send you some and you can compare. 

I just love all these different plants. I'll always have a collectoritis tank. I love the interplay of color, size, texture and shape!!!


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Adam, are these in soft, medium or hard water? BTW, nice comparisons!


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## ashappard (Jun 3, 2006)

thanks Bert,
soft water, GH ~4
no measurable KH


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