Anubias gigantea
Anubias gigantea is a plant in the Araceae family. It was first mentioned by Auguste Chevalier in 1920. This was based on material that he had collected in Guinea.[1] The first description for science was in 1939 by John Hutchinson.[2] It is closely related to A. afzelii from which it differs only by the form of the leaf-blade.[3]
| Anubias gigantea | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Araceae |
| Genus: | Anubias |
| Species: | A. gigantea
|
| Binomial name | |
| Anubias gigantea | |
Other names
changeA. gigantea var. tripartita Chevalier, 1920 and A. hastifolia var. robusta Engler, 1915 are invalid names (synonyms) for A. gigantea.[3]
Where it grows
changeThe plant is found in West Africa, including the countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Togo.[3]
Description
changeThe plant's leave blades are large and arrow-shaped. They can be up to 30 cm (12 in) long and 14 cm (5.5 in) wide. The leaf stems are a little bit shorter till up to 2.5 times longer than the blade. The leaves are set on a creeping and rooting rhizome. It is 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) thick. The spathe is 3.5–8 cm (1.4–3.1 in) long and has a 14–60 cm (5.5–23.6 in) long peduncle. The spadix is up to 9 cm (3.5 in) long. It is a little bit longer than the spathe. Therefore, the tip of the spadix sticks a little bit out of the spathe. The upper part of the spadix is covered with male flowers. Their of which the 4-6 stamens are fused. The anthers (also called thecae) are on its sides. The lower part of the spadix is covered with female flowers. These are reduced to the ovary and stigma.[3]
Ecology
changeThe plant is grows in wet rocky places at the banks of rivers or in the riverbed. It flowers from February to April.[4]
Growing conditions
changeThis plant grows best when only partly under water and when not crowded by other plants. It is most suited for the paludarium. It can also be used in larger aquariums, where it grows very slowly. It does not need much light. It prefers a temperature range of 22 to 26 °C (72 to 79 °F). It can be propagated by dividing the rhizome. Propagation by seed is also easy.[5]
References
change
- ↑ Chevalier, A. (1920). Exploration botanique de l'Afrique occidentale française: T. 1. Enumération des plantes récoltées avec une carte botanique, agricole et forestière (in French). Paris: Paul Lechevallier. p. 683. OCLC 489894088.
- ↑ Hutchinson, J. (1939). "Tropical African Plants: XVII". Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information (Royal Gardens, Kew). 1939 (5): 241–247 [246]. doi:10.2307/4111618. JSTOR 4111618.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Crusio, W. (1979). "A revision of Anubias Schott (Araceae). (Primitiae Africanae XII)". Mededelingen Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen. 79 (14): 1–48. OCLC 6287377.
- ↑ Crusio WE (1987). "Die Gattung Anubias SCHOTT (Araceae)". Aqua Planta (in German). Sonderheft (1): 1–44.
- ↑ Christel Kasselmann (1995). Aquarienpflanzen (in German). Stuttgart, Germany: Eugen Ulmer. p. 472. ISBN 1-57524-091-2. OCLC 46421804.