Aquatic Plant Forum banner

Anubias flowered under water!?!!

86K views 20 replies 13 participants last post by  ruki  
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
About 2 weeks ago I noticed a small white flower growing up from my anubias barteri nana. It seems that the plant has gone and flowered underwater! With no contact with the air at all!

Has anyone else had this happen to them?

What are the triggers that got the plant to flower?

If more flower underwater can they pollinate each other?




Here is a pic.
Image
 
#3 ·
Has anyone else had this happen to them?
Yep! And the bloom lasts quite a while too.

What are the triggers that got the plant to flower?
Don't know, but in my experience, they have flowered on a well established plant which hasn't been uprooted or disturbed for a while.

If more flower underwater can they pollinate each other?
I've had a couple of flowers on a single plant within a week of each other, and haven't seen any results of any pollination. I remember reading somewhere it only occurs emersed.
 
#9 ·
I think this is comparable with Java fern developing sori also when submerged. Both plants - Anubias barteri and M. pteropus - are rheophytes, they occur on boulders and wood in streams and in waterfalls. Maybe the development of flowers or spores by submerged plants is an adaptation to fluctuating water level. When these slowly growing plants suddenly are emersed, they are ready for pollination or release of spores.
 
#20 ·
Hmmm... that’s really interesting Mnemia b/c just the week before that I added about 1.5ppm + the 1-1.5ppm that was there already, so the phosphates were 2-3ppm. Maybe that’s how I got this plant to flower??

ruki, the article said that it was very difficult to get seeds from anubias, but didn't elaborate on why that is. Do you have an idea why it is hard to seed anubias?