Aponogeton echinatus

Aponogeton echinatus

Family: Aponogetonaceae

Roxburgh, 1832

Distribution: South and Central India

Like the other aponogetons, this plant has a tuber. It also has a period of dormancy.
Aponogeton echinatus has a light green leaf with see-through spots. The leaf size is quite variable. They can range from 10cm (4") long and 3 cm (1 1/4") wide up to 20-35 cm (8-14") long and 3-5 cm (1 1/4 - 2") wide. The floating leaves are somewhat brownish. The inflorescence (flower spike) grows about 15 cm (6") above the water level and has white flowers. This inflorescence can be self-fertile. It requires a pH of 6-7.5. The temperature should be 22-28 C (72-82 F). Other requirements; DH up to 15, KH 2-12. It likes medium-hard water.

I have this plant in a 20 gallon tank. It is filtered by a Hydro-sponge filter. There is also another aponogeton in this tank. Hygrophila angustifolia and Cryptocoryne wendtii make up the other plants. The bottom is covered with sand for the tank's inhabitants. There are two species of fish kept in this tank. The sand is there for the shelldweller; Neolamprologus meleagris. They are dithered by Xenoophorus captivus. None of these fish eat the plants. There are some ramshorn snails that I'm trying to slowly get rid of. The tank is kept at approximately 78 F and is given 25% water changes weekly. I don't know the tanks pH but the city water is around 7.8.

Shortly after I was given this plant it flowered for me. I was busy at the time and didn't get around to recording it for AHAP. This past time I made sure to show the inflorescence to others. The flower stalk grew out of the water shortly after the plant put up 3 floating leaves. This was a few weeks after the tuber put out new leaves after going into dormancy after the last flowering. The flower spike was whitish and not as long as the crispus flowers I'd seen previously. It's quite a pretty stalk actually. I'm hoping to maybe get some seeds from this plant. I'll cross my fingers.