pygmy vallisneria - Page 2 - New Plants for Planted Aquariums

apistomaster · 05-24-2008, 11:34 AM

That is Sagittaria subulata var. pusilla not a Vallisneria spp. Nothing new about this one. It has been in the hobby nearly 70 years.

ingg · 05-24-2008, 10:46 PM

K, how do you explain it never, ever getting over 3", no matter the lighting or water conditions?

I'm no expert on grassy plants, I'm asking to try and learn.

They usually aren't my thing, vals and sags - I've kept this one around simply because I cannot get it to grow tall, as any sag (even pusilla is supposed to get over 6") should under varying conditions.

Robert Hudson · 05-26-2008, 11:50 AM

It could be sagittaria, or a wide leaf E. tenellus, or E. latifolious (sp?).... I have seen this plant up on Ebay and aquabid as well and is one of the plants I am always suspicious that the seller is making up the name. Until I see the plant documented somewhere, I am skeptical.

apistomaster · 05-28-2008, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ingg

K, how do you explain it never, ever getting over 3", no matter the lighting or water conditions?

I'm no expert on grassy plants, I'm asking to try and learn.

They usually aren't my thing, vals and sags - I've kept this one around simply because I cannot get it to grow tall, as any sag (even pusilla is supposed to get over 6") should under varying conditions.

I have used or sold this plant for over 40 years. I have never seen the Dwarf Sag, Saggitaria subulata var. pusillus grow over 3 inches and it always has the curved leaves. Saggitaria subulata comes in different varieties. Saggitaria subulata var subulata is easier to mistake for Vallisneria but it grows 7 to 12 inches tall and also has slightly curved leaves.
Saggitaria belongs to the family Alismataceae and Vallisneria belongs to the family Hydrcharitaceae.
To be any more specific it would require keying out the plants based on recognized characteristics.

ingg · 05-30-2008, 06:59 AM

Cool, pusillus it is! At least I have a real ID on it now, hehe. Thanks!

Robert Hudson · 05-30-2008, 02:08 PM

Quote:

That is Sagittaria subulata var. pusilla not a Vallisneria spp. Nothing new about this one. It has been in the hobby nearly 70 years.

What hobby are you talking about? Not this one! ( just kidding) Sagittaria subulata that is commonly sold in the hobby very routinely reaches eight, 12" in height. In fact the "dwarf sag" that is mass produced by Florida aquatic nurseries is already 6" tall when you buy it.

Here it is filling up one corner in my 100 gallon tank

If pusilla has been common for 70 years in the hobby, I can not find any mention of it anywhere on the WEB. Who sells it? The only mention I find of the specie name is an obscure listing of all the species of Sagittaria.

Now when you grow subulata under weak light and no C02, the leaves are thinner, curl inward and stay short.

Like my low tech 55 here

Same plant, different conditions

HeyPK · 06-27-2008, 02:08 AM

Ingg, If it is possible, could you post a closeup picture of a single leaf? It should be possible to differentiate a Sagittaria from a Vallisneria by the pattern of veins.

ingg · 07-03-2008, 09:36 AM

Will get a pic up next week, am packing up to take off for the holiday.

masone · 07-30-2008, 02:42 AM

I found somthing similar in northern Australia a few weeks ago. Am taking it to QLD Herbarium for proper ID. Definitely a val species but staying very short, less than 6cm and growing in THICK carpet in the wild. Have passed some around to fellow Australian aquariasts to see how it grows in an aquarium. Some photo's with HC for size comparison, can see one plant flowering in pic.