This superb foreground/midground plant is perfect for carpeting the substrate of the aquarium or covering decor!
Staurogyne sp. "Porto Velho" has only been known in the hobby in Europe for a few years, and it is still quite rare. This plant from South America grows moderately, develops a creeping growth habit under water and forms narrow lanceolate leaves with a long pointed tip. Its submerged form is greyish-green with a slight purple hue. This attractive carpet-forming plant needs good lighting and a good CO2 and nutrient supply.
In Contrast to Staurogyne repens (see that plant's profile), Staurogyne sp. 'Porto Velho' is only rarely cultivated in Europe at the moment. In the USA and Japan, however, it is one of the most popular new foreground plants. It is a very attractive, versatile plant and will very probably remain popular for many years to come. Quite obviously, Staurogyne sp. 'Porto Velho' is identical with the aquarium plant sold as Hygrophila sp. 'Roraima', which probably originates from another import. The Brazilian federal states Rondonia (with the capital Porto Velho) and Roraima both are situated in the western part of the country. Thus it is highly probable that these plants, originally collected there, belong to the same species that is distributed in both these states. At first, this plant was considered a Hygrophila species, however, its inflorescence shows characteristics of the related genus Staurogyne.
The aforementioned Staurogyne repens (up to now also known as Staurogyne sp.) was also considered to be Staurogyne sp. 'Porto Velho', however, these two plants are not identical. Amongst others, Staurogyne sp. 'Porto Velho' differs from Staurogyne repens by its narrower, lanceolate leaf form with the apiculate tip and its rather greyish green and in some parts even purple leaf colour. Even its underwater form has clearly hirsute light brown stems, whereas the stems of submersed S. repens are green and hairless to only slightly hirsute.
There are not yet sufficient experiences for efficiently comparing the cultivation requirements of S. sp. 'Porto Velho' and S. repens, however, there is a tendency towards S. sp. 'Porto Velho' being a slower grower and overall more demanding but not requiring more light than S. repens.
Under all conditions (not under low light, however) S. sp. 'Porto Velho' has a creeping habit and covers the ground, comparable with ivy, which makes it an excellent foreground plant. When unshaded its otherwise greyish green leaves develop a hint of purple in places. This Staurogyne is a little slower in adaptation but grows increasingly faster after some time, which makes infrequent trimming necessary. Selective trimming of the entire group results in faster growth and is soon made invisible. This method should thus be preferred over the removal of large chunks. This is also a great way of getting cuttings for propagation.
Cultivating this species emersed can be surprisingly difficult. A slow but steady addition of macro- and micronutrients combined with strong lighting, is a must. The emersed form of S. sp. 'Porto Velho' has a wider, more ovate leaf, almost like Staurogyne repens, and a strongly hirsute stem (see pictures 3 and 4).In Contrast to Staurogyne repens (see that plant's profile), Staurogyne sp. 'Porto Velho' is only rarely cultivated in Europe at the moment. In the USA and Japan, however, it is one of the most popular new foreground plants. It is a very attractive, versatile plant and will very probably remain popular for many years to come. Quite obviously, Staurogyne sp. 'Porto Velho' is identical with the aquarium plant sold as Hygrophila sp. 'Roraima', which probably originates from another import. The Brazilian federal states Rondonia (with the capital Porto Velho) and Roraima both are situated in the western part of the country. Thus it is highly probable that these plants, originally collected there, belong to the same species that is distributed in both these states. At first, this plant was considered a Hygrophila species, however, its inflorescence shows characteristics of the related genus Staurogyne.
The aforementioned Staurogyne repens (up to now also known as Staurogyne sp.) was also considered to be Staurogyne sp. 'Porto Velho', however, these two plants are not identical. Amongst others, Staurogyne sp. 'Porto Velho' differs from Staurogyne repens by its narrower, lanceolate leaf form with the apiculate tip and its rather greyish green and in some parts even purple leaf colour. Even its underwater form has clearly hirsute light brown stems, whereas the stems of submersed S. repens are green and hairless to only slightly hirsute.
There are not yet sufficient experiences for efficiently comparing the cultivation requirements of S. sp. 'Porto Velho' and S. repens, however, there is a tendency towards S. sp. 'Porto Velho' being a slower grower and overall more demanding but not requiring more light than S. repens.
Under all conditions (not under low light, however) S. sp. 'Porto Velho' has a creeping habit and covers the ground, comparable with ivy, which makes it an excellent foreground plant. When unshaded its otherwise greyish green leaves develop a hint of purple in places. This Staurogyne is a little slower in adaptation but grows increasingly faster after some time, which makes infrequent trimming necessary. Selective trimming of the entire group results in faster growth and is soon made invisible. This method should thus be preferred over the removal of large chunks. This is also a great way of getting cuttings for propagation.
Cultivating this species emersed can be surprisingly difficult. A slow but steady addition of macro- and micronutrients combined with strong lighting, is a must. The emersed form of S. sp. 'Porto Velho' has a wider, more ovate leaf, almost like Staurogyne repens, and a strongly hirsute stem.
What We Like About This Plant:
- Tissue cultures contain no unwanted pest animals or algae
- Rich, bright green coloration that can eventually cover the entire aquarium foreground
- Easy to moderate care
- Provides protective cover for fry
- Excellent carpeting plant
Care Guidelines:
- Temperature: 68° - 82° F (20° - 28° C)
- pH: 6.0 - 8.0
- Lighting: Moderate to high
- Origin: Lab-grown tissue culture, but indigenous to South America
- Aquarium placement: Foreground
- Care: Easy