Ranalisma rostratum
- Light green, grasslike
- Forms a nice lawn
- Rarely available in trade
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Description
Ranalisma rostratum is a small plant from the water-plantain (Alismataceae) family and is native to tropical Asia. Although this plant became known in aquaristics a long time ago, it has remained a rarity in the trade. The species name is also spelled Ranalisma rostrata. In old aquarium literature this species is found under the synonym Echinodorus ridleyi. The genus Ranalisma contains only two species, the second species is Ranalisma humile from Africa.
This plant is one of the most beautiful grass-like ground covers. One hardly suspects this when it comes into the trade in its terrestrial form, for it then has rounded, spoon-like leaves and small white flowers from which conspicuous hedgehog-like aggregate fruits develop. Under water, however, Ranalisma rostratum develops light green, narrow, grass-like leaves and forms a bright green, low, about 4 to 6 cm high lawn through runner chains, very similar to Helanthium tenellum 'parvulum'. The submerged leaves are usually about 5 - 8 cm long and 2 - 3 cm wide.
Pay attention to rather strong lighting and good CO2 and nutrient supply. Iron deficiency is quickly indicated by pale yellow new leaves. Like all rosette plants, Ranalisma rostratum is grateful for a nutrient-rich substrate, e.g. Aquasoil. In our experience, the plant is somewhat more demanding than Helanthium tenellum "parvulum", but also remains lower and narrower-leaved than the latter. It is best to place several individual plants in the substrate at some distance from each other. With their runners they will soon grow together to form a lawn. Too dense stands should be thinned out; too many new runners can simply be cut off.
Ranalisma rostratum deserves more attention in aquascaping as a light green, grass-like ground cover. In "geographically correct" Asia-themed tanks, this plant is a substitute for the similar chain swords (Helanthium) originating from America. In the land form, Ranalisma rostratum should be interesting for emers set-ups such as aquaterrariums and wabi-kusa.
Please be aware that the bunch/potted variation of this plant could contain snails and other invertebrates.
Ranalisma rostratum is a small plant from the Asian tropics and subtropics. It is often sold under the grammatically incorrect name "Ranalisma rostrata". When kept emersed, the leaves of R. rostratum are roundish, with a stalk, and the short inflorescence often consists of a single flower, from which a rather large erinaceous aggregate fruit develops. It contains a large number of rostrate nutlets with flat sides. The submersed form has light green lineal leaves and closely resembles the light green variety of Helanthium tenellum (please see Helanthium tenellum "parvulum"). Just like the species of the genus Helanthium, R. rostratum forms long runners that are truly modified inflorescences (pseudo or inflorescence stolons).
R. (read more)
| Synonyms | Echinodorus ridleyi Steenis, Echinodorus rostratus (Stapf) Gagnepain (1929), not (Nuttall) Engelmann ex A. Gray (1848) |
| Complete botanical name | Ranalísma rostrátum Stapf |
| Family | Alismataceae |
| Genus | Ranalisma |
| Difficulty | medium |
| Usage | Foreground, group, Foreground, ground cover |
| Aquascaping | forms a grass-like lawn |
| Growth | fast |
| Temperature tolerance | 20 - 28°C |
| General hardness | 0 - 30°dGH |
| Propagation | Runners |
| Can grow emersed? | yes |
| Source | Flowgrow |
| Synonyms |
| Echinodorus ridleyi Steenis, Echinodorus rostratus (Stapf) Gagnepain (1929), not (Nuttall) Engelmann ex A. Gray (1848) |
| Complete botanical name |
| Ranalísma rostrátum Stapf |
| Family |
| Alismataceae |
| Genus |
| Ranalisma |
| Difficulty |
| medium |
| Usage |
| Foreground, group, Foreground, ground cover |
| Aquascaping |
| forms a grass-like lawn |
| Growth |
| fast |
| Temperature tolerance |
| 20 - 28°C |
| General hardness |
| 0 - 30°dGH |
| Propagation |
| Runners |
| Can grow emersed? |
| yes |
| Source |
| Flowgrow |
How many plants do I need?
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