Photo: Miriam Serrano Álvarez, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Glossostigma
Glossostigma elatinoides (Benth.) Benth. ex Hook.fil.
3–5 cm
Height in the aquarium
medium to high
Light
high
CO₂ needs
22–26 °C
Ideal temperature
Water parameters
Understand these values- Position
- foreground
- Propagation
- runners, cuttings, separating offshoots
- Uses
- nano tank, carpet
- Grows emersed
- yes
In the wild
Overview
Its small spoon-shaped leaves sit on creeping runners that can cover the ground quickly. This plant from Australia and New Zealand has become a classic of aquascape foregrounds. Well lit, it makes a low carpet; in the shade it stands up and loses that look.
- Scientific name
- Glossostigma elatinoides (Benth.) Benth. ex Hook.fil.
- Classification
- Lamiales › Phrymaceae
- IUCN Red List
- Not evaluated (NE)
Natural habitat
Australia, New Zealand
Observations (GBIF) and localities Native countries Introduced in Rivers and lakes
- Native countries
- Introduced by people
Outside its native range, in 1 countries:
An aquarium plant must never reach the wild: throwing away cuttings or emptying a tank into a stream can be enough to establish it.
Countries: Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP). Dots: GBIF observations in the native countries.
In the aquarium
Growing in the aquarium
Provide strong light, CO₂ and regular fertilisation. When planting, spread small groups to give the runners room to colonise the ground. Yellowing leaves or slower growth can signal nutrient shortages. A plant sold in emersed form must first produce new underwater foliage before giving an even carpet.
Sources:Flowgrow Tropica GBIF POWO (Kew) · Base map: Natural Earth