Bolbitis heudelotii
{{Short description|Species of aquatic plant}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Kongo Wasserfarn.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Bolbitis
| species = heudelotii
| authority = (Bory ex Fée) Alston
| synonyms = *Gymnopteris heudelotii Bory ex Fée
- Anapausia heudelotii (Bory ex Fée) C.Presl
- Acrostichum heudelotti (Bory ex Fée) Hook.
- Chrysodium heudelotii (Bory ex Fée) Kuhn
- Leptochilus heudelotii (Bory ex Fée) C.Chr.
- Campium angustifolium Copel.
- Campium heudelotti (Bory ex Fée) Copel.
- Bolbitis felixii Tardieu
| synonyms_ref = {{cite web |title=Bolbitis heudelotii (Bory ex Fée) Alston |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:17366050-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=2 June 2024}}
}}
Bolbitis heudelotii, also known as the African water fern,{{cite web | title = Bolbitis heudelotii | url = https://aquariumworld.nz/databases/1-plants/27-Bolbitis-heudelotii | work = Aquarium World | publisher = Federation of New Zealand Aquatic Societies (FNZAS) | accessdate = 5 Nov 2016 }} creeping fern, and Congo fern, is native to subtropical and tropical Africa, from Ethiopia west to Senegal; and down to northern South Africa.{{GRIN | accessdate = 21 January 2018}}
Description
Bolbitis heudelotii, named for the botanical explorer of West Africa Jean-Pierre Heudelot (1802–1837),Kasselmann, Christel, Aquarium Plants (Krieger, Malabar, Florida) 2003 :157. is an aquatic polypody fern growing submerged in rivers and streams, attached to rocks or wood by the threadlike rootlets extending from its rhizomes. It has dark green, pinnate leaves 15–40 cm long and 15–25 cm broad. It grows submerged. The water in its native habitat is fast-moving over sandy or rocky bottoms, very clean, not very hard and slightly acidic. The roots cling to rocks and the sandy beds.{{Cn|date=May 2021}}
Cultivation
In the aquarium, B. heudelotii requires water temperatures of 20–28 °C and moderately acidic ('soft') to neutral water with a pH range of 5.0–7.0,B. heudelotii will not thrive in alkaline water at pH over 7.0: "leaves will become blackened and stained" (Kasselmann 2003). but tolerates a wide range of light levels. It does best in flowing water.Tropica: [http://www.tropica.dk/productcard.asp?id=006 Bolbitis heudelotii]Vumba Nature Reserve: [http://www.vumba-nature.com/list%20ferns.htm Fern list] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703085733/http://www.vumba-nature.com/list%20ferns.htm |date=July 3, 2007 }}
This species is often used as a midground specimen plant in tropical freshwater aquaria. Propagation is from divisions and cuttings from the rhizome.Hiscock, P. (2003). Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants Interpret Publishing, United States and Canada {{ISBN|0-7641-5521-0}}; Kasselmann (2003).
It seems to be intolerant to being crowded and to fish excreta.Schmidt, Jurgen, P. (2002). Aquarium Plants Interpret Publishing, UK {{ISBN|1-84286-034-8}} It is best grown secured to a piece of wood rather than planted direct in the substrate. Additional CO2 seems to boost growth and it grows best in a rather shady position.{{Cn|date=May 2021}}
Propagation is by division of the rhizome. It is a slow-growing plant.{{Cn|date=May 2021}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.tropica.dk/productcard_1.asp?id=006 Tropica.dk]
- [http://www.aquahobby.com/garden/e_bolbitis.php AquaHobby] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012191545/http://www.aquahobby.com/garden/e_bolbitis.php |date=2007-10-12 }}
{{WestAfricanPlants|Bolbitis heudelotii}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q4938993}}