Description
This long- and narrow-leaved plant resembles Vallisneria nana but belongs to the "chain swords" of the genus Helanthium. It entered the aquarium hobby in Europe in the 1960s under the name Echinodorus angustifolius. Nowadays it is rather rarely available. It is an amphibious plant that's said to originate in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. When it falls dry, it develops its emersed stage with much shorter, lanceolate aerial leaves and inflorescences with white flowers. The light to medium green, strap-shaped underwater leaves get more than 50 cm long and about 3-4 mm wide. This rosette plant sprouts long runners with a chain of many young plants above the bottom. It is the wild type of the cultivar 'Vesuvius' that was selected in the nursery Oriental in Singapore.
The Narrow-leaf swordplant is a quite easy, fast growing aquarium plant.
Characteristic
Very narrow, long leaves
Freshly green coloration
Fast propagation by runners
Especially suited for the nature aquarium style
Rather rarely available
Category
Middle Ground
