Description
The Upright burhead or Cellophane sword is an extraordinary species, distinct from other Echinodorus in many respects. Echinodorus berteroi is known as aquarium plant for a long time but nowadays hardly available in trade. This amphibious member of the Waterplantain family has a vast distribution, from the midwestern U. S. in the north through the Tropics down to Patagonia in the south. Alismataceae is a large swamp plant, occurring from eastern North America to South America. It is found on lakeshores, in ponds, ditches and swamps. It occurs mostly as an annual plant in ponds that fall dry periodically. The plants germinate under water from the seeds, developing strap-shaped, then lanceolate to ovate submerged leaves, followed by heart-shaped floating and aerial leaves. Eventually its multi-branched inflorescences grow out of the water, with small white flowers, followed by prickly fruits with many achenes. The diverse submerged foliage has a very decorative transparent, thin texture (therefore "Cellophane sword"), with the venation forming a conspicuous light grid pattern. The newest leaves show golden green to reddish tones. This Echinodorus may become more than 50 cm tall in its submerged form but can also stay much smaller, depending on conditions.
Characteristic
Exceptional Echinodorus species
Transparent, variable submerged leaves
Heart-shaped aerial leaves and branched inflorescences
Rarity, hardly available in trade
Category
Rare Plants
Carbon Dioxide
need
