Vallisneria rubra

Vallisneria rubra

General information: Vallisneria used to be called Maidenia rubra until 2008 when it was put with Vallisneria. It varies in colour from pale green in the shade to deep maroon in the full sun. It is usually found in water less than 50 cm deep. Often found in non-permanent creeks where it multiplies to a large amount just before the creek dries. Aquagreen has a form Berry Creek under cultivation.

Cultivation notes : Maidinea is related to Vallisneria and has similar propagation habits, it multiplies itself by runners across the bottom when conditions are good. It can also be propagated by planting cut stems, runners can start well up the stem from the substrate. Maidenia is easy to cultivate in the aquarium with CO2 pH control and bright light. Best kept in a very warm aquarium with the temperature between 27 and 30 deg C. When the temperature drops below about 22 deg it rots off at the base and floats for a while before dying. In nature it is an annual but in the aquarium with the steady light period and temperature it grows all year.

Distribution : Endemic to the tropical areas of NT and WA.

Selling details : sold by bunch of cut stems tied at the base.

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