In Rataj's classification E. argentinensis is in Section Cordifolii, Subgenus Echinodorus
Other authorities question the specific rank of this species.
Synonyms
E. grandiflrus ovatus Mich.; E. ellipticus var. latifolius Micheli sensu Hauman; Alisma grandiflora; E. longistylus hort.
Description
Emerse leaves erect, long-petioled, 80 - 120 cm long. Blade ovate, at the tip shortly acuminate, at the base abrupt, or regularly oval, at the tip blunt or incised, 15 - 26 cm x 7 - 15 cm wide with 7 - 13 veins and distinct pellucid lines. Submersed leaves on short petioles, blades oval or ovate, on both ends acuminate or blunt. This species has two forms.
Stem erect, 90 - 150 cm long, sparse and inconspicuously warted, infloresence paniculate, broadly branched in the lower whorl, having 5 - 12 whorls containing 6 - 12 flowers each. Bracts shorter or longer than the pedicels. Pedicels 1 - 2.5 cm long, sepals broadly ovate, ribbed, 4 - 6 mm long, petals white, corolla 3 - 4 cm in diameter. Stamens usually 24. Aggregate fruit globular, shortly echinate, achenes compressed, 3 mm long x 1 mm wide, having 3 - 5 ribs and 3 glands placed usually in one row, beak 0.4 - 0.5 mm long.
Veins are often dark reddish-brown ansd the blade may have reddish-brown irregular spots.
Distribution
Southern Brazil, Uruguay & Argentina
Cultivation
Needs a deep rich substrate and good light. Will withstand sub-tropical - tropical temperatures. A strong grower, too big for the average aquarium, the leaves soon growing out of the water. In the wild it grows in sticky mud along rivers. Rataj reports hybrids with E. grandiflorus and E. longiscapus which have mixed features. Supplement with iron and CO2 if possible. Seems to prefer soft to hard water.
Seems to bloom best in cooler water and in short-day conditions.
Apparently rarely found in the trade, the majority (if not all) specimens being offered being E. palaefolius.
External links
Other pages about Flora of Argentina
-Acacia -Acacia albicorticata -Acacia etilis -Aechmea distichantha -Antarctic flora -Arachis correntina -Arachis duranensis -Araucaria -Austrocedrus -Berberis buxifolia -Berberis darwinii -Billbergia nutans -Canna coccinea -Canna speciosa -Celtis tala -Chaguar -Chloroleucon chacoense -Chusquea culeou -Chusquea quila -Colobanthus quitensis -Coursetia brachyrachis -Coursetia hypoleuca -Cyathea incana -Denmoza -Deschampsia antarctica -Drimys -Echinodorus argentinensis -Eucryphia -Hackberry -Inga saltensis -Lemon verbena -Luma apiculata -Luma chequen -Magellanic subpolar forests -Maytenus magellanica -Nothofagus -Pampas Grass -Passiflora caerulea -Pfaffia glomerata -Pithecellobium grisebachianum -Pithecellobium pithecolobioides -Poecilanthe parviflora -Prosopis abbreviata -Quebracho -Senecio pulcher -Skottsbergia paradoxa -Solanum viarum -Spanish moss -Tephrocactus bonnieae -Tetragonia -Trithrinax campestris -Utricularia nervosa -Utricularia pusilla -Utricularia triloba -Valdivian temperate rain forests -Verbascum thapsus -Yareta -Ziziphus mistol
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Echinodorus_argentinensis
