Anubias

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Anubias
Anubias barteri var nana on a bogwood.jpg
Anubias barteri var. nana on a bogwood (top view)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Araceae
Subfamily: Aroideae
Tribe: Anubiadeae
Genus: Anubias
Schott
Type species
A. afzelii
Schott
Species
Synonyms

Amauriella Rendle

Anubias is a genus of aquatic and semi-aquatic flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical central and western Africa. They primarily grow in rivers and streams, but can also be found in marshes. They are characterized by broad, thick, dark leaves that come in many different forms. The genus was revised in 1979 [1] and since then its nomenclature has been stable. Species can be determined by using mostly characteristics of the inflorescence. Because of the often shady places where the plants grow, the genus was named after the Egyptian god Anubis, the god of the afterlife. [1] The genus was first described in 1857 by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott, with A. afzelii as its type species. [2]

Contents

Reproduction and uses

Anubias, most notably the varying forms of A. barteri , [3] are commonly used in aquariums, usually attached to rocks or bogwood. In contrast to most plants, Anubias generally prefer subdued lighting and can also produce flowers underwater. In the aquarium they should be placed in shaded areas, otherwise algae will develop on the leaves.

Anubias are considered by many aquarists some of the easiest plants to maintain, since their light and nutrient requirements are very low and also because herbivorous fish will not eat it (with a few exceptions). This is why Anubias are some of the few plants which can be used in aquariums with African cichlids and goldfishes.

Reproduction in artificial environments can be accomplished by stolon division or from side shoots. The stolon must always be above the substrate in order to survive, otherwise it will rot and the plant dies. Rather than planting anubias directly into the soil, they should be attached to a piece of rock or driftwood, as they are more likely to grow and thrive when the rhizome and roots are left exposed instead of buried. It is also possible to propagate Anubias by seed. [4]

The natural growth rate of all species in this genus is rather slow. Usually, they produce a leaf every 3 weeks, or even slower. And while they were once thought to be among the few plants that do not respond to CO2 addition, hobbyists have seen great results and improved growth with CO2 and high light intensity[ citation needed ].

The most commonly available species of this genus is Anubias barteri Schott, which is polymorphic and subdivided into several varieties. The largest members of the genus are Anubias gigantea Chevalier ex Hutchinson and Anubias heterophylla Engler. Their leaf-stems can grow up to 83 cm, with leaves 40 cm long and 14 cm broad with lateral lobes up to 28 cm long and 10 cm broad. The smallest representative is Anubias barteri var. nana (Engler) Crusio, with a height up to 10 cm and with leaves up to 6 cm long and 3 cm broad.

Anubias can be grown emersed (above water). For this reason they may be used in paludariums.

Species and varieties

Anubias afzelii Schott

Optimal conditions:

Anubias barteri Schott

Common varieties:

Anubias barteri var. angustifolia (Engler) Crusio

Optimal conditions:

Anubias barteri var. barteri

Optimal conditions:

Anubias barteri var. caladiifolia Engler

Optimal conditions:

Anubias barteri var. glabra N. E. Brown

Optimal conditions:

Anubias barteri var. nana (Engler) Crusio

Optimal conditions:

Anubias gigantea Chevalier ex Hutchinson
Anubias gilletii De Wildeman & Durand

Optimal conditions:

Anubias gracilis Chevalier ex Hutchinson

Optimal conditions:

Anubias hastifolia Engler

Optimal conditions:

Anubias heterophylla Anubias heterophylla..JPG
Anubias heterophylla
Anubias heterophylla Engler

Optimal conditions:

Anubias pynaertii De Wildeman

See also

Related Research Articles

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<i>Aldrovanda vesiculosa</i> Species of plant (waterwheel plant)

Aldrovanda vesiculosa, commonly known as the waterwheel plant, is the sole extant species in the flowering plant genus Aldrovanda of the family Droseraceae. The plant captures small aquatic invertebrates using traps similar to those of the Venus flytrap. The traps are arranged in whorls around a central, free-floating stem, giving rise to the common name. This is one of the few plant species capable of rapid movement.

<i>Echinodorus cordifolius</i> Species of aquatic plant

Echinodorus cordifolius, the spade-leaf sword or creeping burhead, is a species of aquatic plants in the Alismatales. It is native to Mexico, the West Indies, Central America, South America and the southeastern United States.

<i>Limnophila sessiliflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Limnophila sessiliflora, known as dwarf ambulia, ambulis, and Asian marshweed is a flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae.

<i>Anubias barteri</i> Species of aquatic plant

Anubias barteri is a West African species of Anubias, first described in 1860 by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott. It occurs in south-eastern Nigeria, Cameroon and on Bioko.

<i>Anubias barteri <span style="font-style:normal;">var.</span> nana</i> Variety of aquatic plant

Anubias barteri var. nana was first described by Adolf Engler in 1899 as A. nana. The species was reduced to varietal status in 1979.

Anubias gracilis is a plant that was first mentioned in 1920 by Chevalier and thereafter validly described by Hutchinson and Dalziel in 1936.

<i>Anubias afzelii</i> Species of aquatic plant

Anubias afzelii is a species belonging to the Aroid genus Anubias. It was first described scientifically by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott in 1857, based on material collected in Sierra Leone by Adam Afzelius, after whom the species was named. The genus Anubias was described simultaneously, with only A. afzellii belonging to it, which therefore is the type species of the genus. No other species currently placed in the genus Anubias was described earlier and A. afzelii was therefore the first species of this genus known to science.

<i>Anubias heterophylla</i> Species of aquatic plant

Anubias heterophylla is a species belonging to the Aroid genus Anubias. It was first described scientifically by Adolf Engler in 1879.

Anubias barteri var. angustifolia was first described by Adolf Engler in 1915 as A. lanceolata f. angustifolia. The species obtained varietal status within A. barteri in 1979.

<i>Anubias barteri <span style="font-style:normal;">var.</span> caladiifolia</i> Variety of aquatic plant

Anubias barteri var. caladiifolia was first described by Adolf Engler in 1915.

Anubias barteri var. glabra is a variety of A. barteri that was first described by N. E. Brown in 1901.

<i>Mimulus alatus</i> Species of flowering plant

Mimulus alatus, the sharpwing monkeyflower, is an herbaceous eudicot perennial that has no floral scent. It is native to North America and its blooming season is from June to September. The flowering plant has green foliage and blue to violet flowers. It has a short life span compared to most other plants and a rapid growth rate. Like other monkey-flowers of the genus Mimulus, M. alatus grows best in wet to moist conditions and has a bilabiate corolla, meaning it is two-lipped. The arrangement of the upper and lower lip petals suggests a monkey’s face. The winged stems together with the monkey face give the plant its common name.

<i>Anubias gigantea</i> Species of aquatic plant

Anubias gigantea is a species belonging to the Aroid genus Anubias. It was first mentioned by Auguste Chevalier in 1920, based on material that he had collected in Guinea. The formal description followed in 1939 by John Hutchinson. It is closely related to A. afzelii, basically only differing from that species by the form of the leaf-blade.

Anubias gilletii is a plant that was first described scientifically in 1901 by Émile Auguste Joseph De Wildeman and Th. Durand.

Anubias pynaertii is a species belonging to the Aroid genus Anubias. It was first described scientifically by Émile Auguste Joseph De Wildeman in 1910, based on material collected in Zaire by, among others, Léon Auguste Edouard Joseph Pynaert, after whom the species was named.

<i>Anubias hastifolia</i> Species of aquatic plant

Anubias hastifolia is a species belonging to the Aroid genus Anubias. It was first mentioned by Adolf Engler in 1889 and described scientifically by him in 1893.

References

  1. 1 2 Crusio, W. (1979). "A revision of Anubias Schott (Araceae). (Primitiae Africanae XII)". Mededelingen Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen. 79 (14): 1–48. Retrieved 2010-12-26.
  2. Schott, H. (December 1857). "Aroideen Skizzen". Österreichisches Botanisches Wochenblatt (in German and Latin). 7 (50): 398–399. doi:10.1007/BF02071618.
  3. Christel Kasselmann (2002). Aquarium Plants . Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing Company. pp.  104. ISBN   1-57524-091-2.
  4. 1 2 Crusio WE (1987). "Die Gattung Anubias SCHOTT (Araceae)". Aqua Planta (in German). Sonderheft (1): 1–44.