# A different Lilaeopsis



## dirtmonkey

*sigh* another ebay plant that isn't what I ordered...

This was sold as "Isoetes vetata varsicula", so I assumed it was just a misspelling of _Isoetes velata var. sicula._ I was wrong.

I knew it wasn't what I ordered when I opened the (unlabeled) package and unwound the long thin stolons, but didn't connect the dots until today when I was repotting part of it to grow emerse:

  

  

  

As I was trimming it up, I smelled... parsnip? *Click*. It really meant _Lilaeopsis_ of some sort.
It isn't _novea-zealandiae/brasiliensis_, which I already have, and perfectly fits the picture and description of _L. macloviana_ from Tropica. They even mention the carrot smell:

Link: Lilaeopsis macloviana article at Tropica

I don't really mind, I probably was more attracted to the idea of Isoestes, than to that plant itself. And this plant will probably be easier to grow, and definitely easier to propagate. Also interesting is the range shown on their map- plants that can grow in Southern Agrentina are generally hardy outdoors here where I am (meaning I'd have to be cautious about it escaping and possibly naturalizing).

I think I could learn to like this plant.
What think you all? Have I pegged it right?

Vincent


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## dirtmonkey

Mods. thanks for moving this to Plant ID- don't know why I didn't think of that.


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## dirtmonkey

Possible species I've found: _Lilaeopsis_ morphologies of longer, narrow, non-segmented leaves-- from what I can find online easily. Googling brings up many different plants under each name, so I have to average the types, weighing apparently 'scholarly' work more heavily. Unfortunately as an amateur, I don't have much access to published scientific papers, or proper botanical texts with full descriptions.

*Lilaeopsis macloviana* (Seems most likely- but possibly not monophyletic ***)
*Lilaeopsis 'Mauritania'* (??) [Tropica] (insufficient detail for comparison)
*Lilaeopsis schaffneriana spp. recurva* (unlikely; rare, endangered in AZ, possibly not a Liliaeopsis ***)
*Lilaeopsis carolinensis* (unlikely; different blade shape and growth habit)
*Lilaeopsis attenuata* (??) (insufficient detail for comparison)
*Lilaeopsis varsicula* (??) (insufficient detail for comparison, but the name caught my attention)

_*** "Several species are likely not monophyletic, such as L. brasiliensis, L. polyantha and L. macloviana. Surprisingly, the ITS results suggest that L. schaffneriana var. recurva may not be a Lilaeopsis at all, but instead may ally with the genus Ptilimnium."_
- From abstract of A phylogenetic study of the genus Lilaeopsis (Apiaceae). 2005; Bone, Tiffany S., Downie, Stephen R., Affolter, James M.

Looking into this, there are several other species of _Lilaeopsis_ I want to try growing now! The smaller ones with jointed/segmented leaves especially, look very interesting. Many, possibly including what I have here, would be suitable for brackish environments.

Getting an unlabeled/mislabeled plant can be serendipitous. Or maybe it's me just making the best of the situation, being a big plant nerd, and interested in all of them


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## dirtmonkey

On another forum someone posted a (closed) Aquabid listing for Lilaeopsis sp. Mauritius. It looks identical. Maybe 'Mauritius' is one of the species running around as L. macloviana too.

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/closed.cgi?view_closed_item&liveplantsr1173563442


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