# "Mini Bolbitis" ID



## Varig8 (Dec 25, 2007)

There seems to be a bit of controversy on the proper ID of this aquatic fern. I recently purchased some of it and then had a look online pertaining to the Bolbitis fern family to try and ID it. Turns out it is not a Bolbitis afterall. It is a "Filmy Fern" and most likely Crepidomanes latealatum. Crepidomanes seems also to be synonymous with Trichomanes. It is actually NOT an aquatic fern, but should be grown in a terrarium with very high humidity and somewhat low light. 
As with Trichomanes Javanicum, these Filmy Ferns grow along streams and near waterfalls where water spray and humidity are constant. 
Crepidomanes Auriculatum, another 'aquatic' fern available online seems to grow somewhat stable completely submerged. Ive been growing it for over a year both as emersed (where it grows 10 times faster and much larger), and submerged (where it grows slowly and much smaller-- and also produces tiny plantlets on the fronds older tips). 
Im going to grow this 'Mini Bolbitis' both emersed and submerged and chances are it will grow faster above the water than completely submerged. From what I have read online from other aquarists, when grown submerged under the right conditions (CO2, etc.), it will grow, albeit very slowly, perhaps putting on 2-3 leaves in a years time. It must be attached to a host (driftwood, rock, etc.) and the creeping rhizome must not be placed into the gravel as it would most likely rot. From my experience, the roots of Crep. Aur. can be placed submerged into the substrate as long as the rhizome is above the substrate, and it will continue to grow.


----------



## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

Here in Europe yet another "Mini Bolbitis" is on the market: _Bolbitis heteroclita_ "difformis", Synonym _Edanyoa difformis_. Imported from nurseries in Asia as "Davallia spec." or "Bolbitis Davallia spec." Tiny fern with finely dissected fronds, at first glance hardly similar to the common large Bolbitis heteroclita forms. Easy to grow as terrestrial plant. It does thrive under water, but the submerged form looks rather ugly for my taste.
http://blog.christel-kasselmann.de/...ita-cuspidata-bolbitis-heteroclita-difformis/
http://www.flowgrow.de/neue-und-bes...a-difformis-bolbitis-davallia-spec-t9767.html


----------



## Varig8 (Dec 25, 2007)

Heres what I could find online , and I must say that this does indeed look eerily similar to the "Mini Bolbitis" that is being sold. I noticed also that there are more forms of Bolbitis described as well!
http://books.google.com/books?id=Wq...Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Edanyoa difformis&f=false


----------



## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

Varig8 said:


> I noticed also that there are more forms of Bolbitis described as well!
> http://books.google.com/books?id=Wq...Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Edanyoa difformis&f=false


Yes, Bolbitis heteroclita is an incredibly variable stuff... 
Different forms of B. heudelotii were already discussed in this forum, but also the smaller ones seem to get rather big when they are old. On a Japanese homepage I've seen pics of a small fern from Africa that might be a true dwarf form of B. heudelotii, I don't find the site again.

Btw., very interesting also what they write in the Fern Grower's Manual about _Bolbitis portoricensis_: "Can grow submerged in an aquarium ..."
http://books.google.com/books?id=Wq...BQ#v=onepage&q=bolbitis portoricensis&f=false


----------



## Varig8 (Dec 25, 2007)

Very interesting information. I did have a copy of the Fern Growers Manual some years ago, but I cannot find it now, very disappointing............ 2 years ago I purchased a small fern from a Thai grower labeled as "Christmas Tree fern", it slowly died over the course of about 5 months, growing completely submerged. I think this was also the Mini Bolbitis. I do have an aquarium set up with gravel and about 3" of water with glass lid and strip light in which I am currently growing 3 forms of variegated Anubias, 1 variegated Crytocorne Mi Oya, and 4 varieties of supposed aquatic ferns, along with some mosses, Pellia and Susswassertang. I think I will not bother to try the Mini Bolbitis submerged and will see if I can get it to grow as an epiphyte in this aquarium. If I am successful and it thrives, I will take some propagations and try my luck at growing submerged. I have found some other Filmy Ferns along the water in Hawaii and also Puerto Rico and I belive they are members of the Trichomanes family. They were not grown successfully completely submerged. The amount of different Filmy ferns I found along the streams were incredible, almost to many to imagine. I was not aware so much at the time of the different Bryophytes or I would have also looked for these!


----------

