 |
A small stream on peninsular Thailand with on the sheltered side stands of C. cordata var. siamensis.
coll. NJT 03-01
photo Jacobsen |
|
 |
A close up of this patch. The leaves are coffee brown on the upper side.
coll. NJT 03-01
photo Jacobsen
|
|
 |
The same stream with plants which are more greenish.
coll. NJT 03-01
photo Jacobsen |
|
 |
Again the same stream. The limb of the spathe varies from bright yellow to brownish.
coll. NJT 03-01
photo Jacobsen
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
Another part of the stream in peninsular Thailand. You see the wine red lower sides of the leaves.
coll. CC 204-1
photo Christensen
|
|
 |
There are very many streams in peninsular Thailand with C. cordata var. siamensis. All slight different.
coll. NJT 04-31
photo Jacobsen
|
|
 |
C. cordata var. siamensis also grows in this very deep spring.
coll. NJT 02-15
photo Jacobsen
|
|
 |
Fresh collected plants.
coll. NJT 02-15
photo Jacobsen
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
An aquarium picture of C. cordata var. siamensis. The plant is best grown in hard water..
coll. unknown
photo Möhlmann
|
|
 |
In shallow water, the brown leaves reaches the
surface. The spathe grows out of the water, making pollinating possible by small flies,
which might be attracted by the odour of the inflorescence. Note the slight bullate
leaves.
coll. unknown, cult. Bot. G. Copenhagen P1671-9
photo Jacobsen
|
|
 |
The 'classical' C. cordata var. siamensis
("blassii") has a more or less developed brown tinge over the limb, most
prominent on the edges. The (bullated) leaves are broad cordate to ovate and can be quite
brown and have a deep purple red lower side.
coll. unknown, cult. B 17
|
|
 |
The leaves of this plant are very dark with fine
purple dots on it. The lower side deep purple. The limb is brownish at the edges. Note the
somewhat swollen throat, called a collar zone.
coll. unknown, cult. B 290
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
The limb is quite glossy. The
leaves are ovate and have a brownish upper side and a deep purple lower side of the
leaves.
coll. unknown, cult. B 16
|
|
 |
A more reddish limb of the spathe Note also the much more swollen collar zone.
coll. & cult. NJT03-1B
photo Jacobsen
|
|
 |
Tomey collected this plant in the north of W. Malaysia. It is not certain if we must attribute it to C. cordata var. siamensis.
coll. Tomey s.n., cult B 295
|
|
 |
This plant has big cordate leaves without any
purple, the upper side dark green, the lower side is pale green. The chromosome number is however 2n = 85.
coll. unknown, cult. B 18
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
A quite red limb of the spathe. Note that there are small red (or brown) dots, the size making the difference.
coll. & cult. NJT02-15
photo Jacobsen
|
|
 |
Opened kettle showing the spadix with the female flowers (bottom) and the male flowers (above). Note the purplish appendix on top ands the white kettle wall inside.
coll. NJT02-5A, cult. B 868
|
|
 |
Compared to the picture left, note the dark styles of the female flowers and the red colour of the lower part of the kettle.
coll. NJT02-14, cult B 881
|
|
 |
A longitudinal section through the female flowers showing the bright yellow olfactory bodies.
coll. unknown, cult. B16
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
Isotype of C. cordata var. siamensis collected in peninsular Thailand.
coll. Kerr 17094
Nationaal Herbarium Leiden |
|
 |
Drawing of the holotype (Kew herbarium) in de Wit 1990.
coll. Kerr 17094
drawing Ike Zewald
|
|
 |
Drawing of the type specimen of "C. blassii" also in de Wit 1990. The short naked axis between the male and the female flowers is not
typical.
coll. unknown, cult. Blass
drawing Ike Zewald |
|
 |
Distribution of C. cordata var. siamensis on the peninsular Thailand and - probably - the very north of West Malaysia.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Cultivation is quite easy in water with hardness up to 25 DH. The plants easily reach up to 20 - 30 cm, making them much wanted by
aquarists.
Brian Seccombe (AUS) made a time lapse photo series of the opening of the limb, see his movie.
See the cultivar C. cordata var. siamensis 'Rosanervig'.
See also the other Cryptocoryne of the cordata-group.
Literature: see the cordata-group.
Updated January 2016 |
|
