Daly River Club Rush

Schoenoplectus litoralis

General information: The submerged form of this plant looks like Vallisneria or Blyxa until you have a closer look or dig a little out of the substrate where you will notice a very different robust rhyzome compared to Val. It also has a central vein in the leaf where Val does not. In natural locations the submerged form is mostly in running water. Once the water slows the plant sends up a tube shaped dark green mature leaf spike that holds flowers and seed. It is possible to keep the juvenile form in the planted aquarium but if you have a high light aqarium it may send up the mature leaves.

Cultivation notes : Easy to keep in medium to bright light. Along shady creek margins as well as out in the full sun. Grows very well in pH 7, GH 50 ppm, KH 60 ppm, temp 20 to 30 deg C. Common in the Daly and Katherine Rivers that are hard alkaline water. Also found near Alice Springs in the Finke River.

Distribution : Occurs from Europe to Australia. In Australia, NT, WA, Qld, SA and NSW.

Selling details : Sold as a bunch of plants tied together and washed free of substrate.

Reference: Cowie, Short, Osterkamp-Madsen (2000) "Floodplain Flora, a flora of the floodplain of the Northern Territory, Australia"