[mats808]

Hi All,

Can anyone share information they have on various species or clones of Microsorum they are keeping. Anything out of the ordinary (Really narrow, really wide, really big, really small, fluted or hammered, variegated, etc.).

I realize the influence that culture can have on growth pattern but if you have had a plant for a while and you are convinced that it is a different species or "special" clone please share.

As always pics would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Aaron

 

[miremonster]

Hello Aaron,
I wrote in this thread about the closest relatives of M. pteropus:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...losest-relatives-m-pteropus-does-anybody.html
I've tried to cultivate Leptochilus macrophyllus var. wrightii in my tank, it did grow, but didn't look very good. But I hope there are some further species or forms of this group (Colysis / Leptochilus) being more capable for submersed cultivation.
Phylogenetic studies (H. Schneider, H.-P. Kreier et al.) have evidenced that Microsorum pteropus is more closely related to Colysis and Leptochilus species than to the many other Microsorum species. The latter are epiphytic and terrestrial species while Colysis / Leptochilus is in part rheophytic (growing in the flood zone of fast flowing streams).

As I understand it, all Microsorum forms in the aquarium hobby, also strange ones like 'Trident' or 'Needle Leaf', are forms of one species, the highly polymorphic Microsorum pteropus. They share the typical character combination of this species defined by H.P. Nooteboom (Flora Malesiana Series II Vol. 3, 1998 ).

 

[mats808]

Thanks for the valuable information Miremonster.

What about Microsorum brassii? Is that a valid species?

BTW, I noticed that you are from Germany and your name is Heiko. By any chance is this Heiko Bleher?

 

[miremonster]

According to H.P. Nooteboom Microsorum brassii is a synonym of M. pteropus. There is a rather blurred photo of the type specimen of M. brassii in the www: http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/i...wseimgs_plant_sci&enlarge=3333+3333+1007+0912
A narrow leaved form from Papua New Guinea, apparently similar with e.g. Tropica's M. pteropus 'Narrow Leaf'.
Nooteboom lists quite a lot of synonyms of M. pteropus.

BTW, I noticed that you are from Germany and your name is Heiko. By any chance is this Heiko Bleher?

No, no, nothing to do with him
I'm Heiko Muth.

 

[mats808]

Thanks Heiko for all the info.

With that information let me change the purpose of this thread. If you have photos of any abbarent strains of M. pteropus please share.

 

[miremonster]

R. Strößner [Stroessner] from Germany has presented a Java Fern form that he has gotten from a friend, but the further origin is unknown. Similar to 'Windelov', but less finely dissected. He writes that this form grows and propagates faster than 'Windelov'.
http://www.flowgrow.de/moose-amp-fa...-t4665.html?hilit=pteropus mittelrippe#p47581
Apart from that M. pteropus 'Trident' (see Plant Finder) is in my opinion also a quite aberrant form.

 

[mats808]

Cool Fern. That's exactly the kind of stuff I am hoping people share on this thread. Thanks for the link.

Currently I have trident and another similar to trident variant. It seems to grow larger than trident and the leaves aren't as narrow. I also have "narrow leaf".

I've read about small clones with leaves that never exceed 4 inches in length no matter what the growing conditions. However, so far it seems that most claims of "mini" pteropus have turned out to be untrue with the plants eventually growing to normal sizes. Have you heard of any mini java ferns?

 

[miremonster]

and another similar to trident variant. It seems to grow larger than trident and the leaves aren't as narrow.

Interesting!

I've read about small clones with leaves that never exceed 4 inches in length no matter what the growing conditions. However, so far it seems that most claims of "mini" pteropus have turned out to be untrue with the plants eventually growing to normal sizes. Have you heard of any mini java ferns?

That's a difficult matter... Yes, I've gotten a 'mini' pteropus some years ago, for long time it didn't exceed 10 cm, now the longest leaves are about 30 cm long but only 4-5 mm wide. That may confirm Your informations that 'Minis' have turned out to be not really "mini". Other guys having 'Mini' Java fern are still sure that this plant stays short, but I think they have the same form like mine. I guess my stuff may be the true 'Needle Leaf' Java Fern. Somewhere true 'Needle leaf' was described having leaves up to 30 cm long and "not broader than a pen". By the way, my attempts to grow 'Mini' java fern emersed were not very successful (tiny, stunted, deformed leaves), under same conditions where other java ferns have grown emersed very well.
Another form is called 'Needle Leaf' as well as 'Narrow', but it's different from the 'Narrow' from Tropica (otherwise it's apparently the same stuff like "Taiwan, narrow", cultivated in the Botanical Garden of Göttingen, obtained from Claus Christensen.) It's also a "needle-like" form, with strap-like dark green 30 + cm long but 1-2 cm wide leaves. Midrib relatively broad, densely set with brown scales, margin wavy. Growing faster than 'Mini', doing well in emersed cultivation.
Maybe there are even more 'needle' forms, but I don't know... Cultivation under the same conditions for a longer time would be needed for detection of differences.
There are some discussions about differences between "needle-like" Microsorum forms on German forums.
I'll look for links and post photos of my 'Needle leaf'-related stuff, but I still need some time for that.