Mystery Plant

[Larry Little]

Hello friends --  I'm new to this forum and starting off with a doozie.  I'm trying to find information on a plant species; I have absolutely no idea what the name is.  How's that for a start?  Anyway, it's a fairly low growing foreground plant that was plentiful, easy to grow and propagate, and the last time I saw it was around 1979.  The best way I can describe it is it looks like a generic Crypt. type with 3" - 4" long narrow leaves on short stems.  The tops of the leaves are a medium to dark green with undersides that are wine colored to maroon.  Here's the kicker; they freely propagate by runners like Vallisneria spiralis..  Just two or three of these plants can propagate to cover the substrate in a 20-gallon tank in just a few months.  As I said, several families of us would pass it back and forth to start new tanks.  We couldn't kill the stuff.  I got out of the hobby for a few years and Have been trying to find this plant since getting back in a few years ago.  Is this ringing any bells for anybody?  I'd dearly love to find this plant again; if any of y'all have any ideas, please gew back with me.  Thanks     

[Streetwise]

I’m not in front of my tanks to check color, but the fastest-propagating runner plant for me is Dwarf Sagittaria.

[Daniel]

The one I remember was

Echinodoras tenellus, now known as Helanthium tenellum. But, definitely not red on the underside of the leaf.

[Daniel]

Red on underside of leaf and propagates by runners sounds a lot like some kind of crypt.

[MattyIce]

Potamongeton Gayi?

Long thin leaves with some Wine color:

spreads with runners, with higher light it is a lot more red:

[Larry Little]

Hi guys -- I think I need to give some clarification.  The "mystery plant" is definitely not a Saggitaria.  each plant grows in a rosette form like Cryptocoryne wendtii, but propagates by free runners like Vallisnaria spiralis and once established, just as rapidly.  Definitely not a stem-type plant like Potamongeton.

[Daniel]

I am still going for some sort of crypt. I think there are more than 400 species, but only a subset of those in the aquarium trade. Now you have got me wanting one of these mystery plants. 🙂

[Aubrey]

Too red?

I mean if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck.

Too big?

I don't know a whole lot about plants, but looked for what you are describing. I'm sure there are many more plants than the ones listed in one book I own.

[Mridul Singh]

I'm stumped on this one...It seems like you're describing a cryptocoryne, but there are literally hundreds of varieties. By any chance do you (or the others you know have them) have any pictures of the plant? Since you mentioned they grow in a rosette form, and freely propagate with runners, my best bet is a cryptocoryne.

[Larry Little]

From what I have read, Crypts propagate by rhizomes, right?  The plants we had used runners.  The plants were not grasslike at all.  I could put a couple of these plants in a 30 gallon tank and within 6 months, the entire substrate would be covered to the point of needing to be thinned out.  Honestly, the prolific propagation along with its unfussy requirements might have resulted in it being banned for all I know.

I really regret not keeping it going....

THanks for all of your responses.  If any of you stumble across this plant, give me a holler. 

[Daniel]

Crypts have rhizomes, but propagate by runners (technically stolons) and seeds. Like this:

 

[Larry Little]

Daniel, I think you've nailed it.  I couldn't remember the word "stolons"; the "mother" sends out stolons then each "daughter" extends mote of them.  I need to go back through and try to find the Crypt species.  Thanks, man, I really appreciate it.