Identification help please

[James D]

Could anyone help me identify this plant please?

Thanks in advance

James

 

[Edvet]

Bacopa (caroliana?)

 

[James D]

Thanks Ed, I was actually thinking it's B. Monnieri but it makes little difference as I actually ordered Ammania Bonsai. It's got the reddish stems but it doesn't look how I expected it to!

 

[Jose]

It does look like a B. Monnieri I once had but Im no expert. Mine didnt grow well in low tech/no co2 conditions.

 

[James D]

Cheers Jose.

Does anyone actually think it's Ammania sp Bonsai?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Does anyone actually think it's Ammania sp Bonsai?

My suspicion would be that it is B. monnieri, but I'm not sure you can tell. Mick.Dk is you best bet for a definitive answer.

It looks like the plant is very etiolated (it has been in low/no light for long enough for the internodes to have become greatly extended).

If you kept a bit emersed you could tell when they flowered, because "Ammania" Bonsai is really a Rotala sp., and they belong to the Lythraceae with terminal spikes of flowers, whilst Bacopa spp. are Scrophulariaceae, and have single flowers.

cheers Darrel

 

[James D]

Thanks Darrel, very insightful, I'll take a stem out and try it emersed.

My conundrum is whether or not to complain to the seller, as it seems so difficult to get a definitive answer I suppose I'll just have to see how it grows.

 

[alto]

Another vote for Bacopa sp (same guess as Darrel), definitely not typical of Tropica's "Ammania sp Bonsai" (whether sold by them or a "copy") ... I'd query the seller & indicate concern.

 

[James D]

I suppose it does look like this .... (From CO2 Art)


But I was hoping for this......




I didn't want the tropica 1,2 plants though, I've never had much luck with them and I find them too fiddly, I should have bought some off a UKAPS member I suppose.

I wasn't confident enough of the facts to query the seller (and I'm still not), they were very cheap from Eastern Europe somewhere anyway, I suppose I'll just put it down to experience and look elsewhere.

 

[Guest]

If you kept a bit emersed you could tell when they flowered, because "Ammania" Bonsai is really a Rotala sp

You never know, give it chance it might actually turn out to be Rotala Bonsai after all...

 

[Mick.Dk]

It's allmost defenitely Rotala - and very likely Rotala indica 'bonzai' - which is the valid name for Ammannia 'bonzai' now.
Like Darell allready noticed, this is a plant, that has been (too) long time "in the dark"......which has made it pale and "out-stretched", not really looking itself 🙁.
There seem to be "strains" of 'bonzai', that actually differ a little - ex. one is a bit "skinny" and less willing to grow orange tips.

The good news is, that genetically it's ofcourse unchanged, though mistreated.....meaning, that if you provide the sufficient conditions, it will grow to look like the one in your pic. ( if it's the same "strain" as Tropica sell, since that's the one in your pic. - I know, since I grew it 😉 )

 

[Andy Thurston]

, I should have bought some off a UKAPS member I suppose.

shoot me a pm if its not what you wanted. I have some growing emersed and and in the tank you can have for the postage costs

 

[Mick.Dk]

I'd let the plants grow and re-gain strength, for some weeks - then trim rather hard (= low) and re-plant the off-cuts in the group of cut stems.
Rotala indica 'bonzai' is quite good at branching from cut stems (when in good health) and the off-cuts will hapily root and contribute to overall density of the group.
- this ofcourse does not mean you can't buy and add more stems to the group..........😀

 

[Andy Thurston]

or pin them down horizontally and let nature do the hard work😉

 

[DanielC03]

[Quote = "Big payaso, post: 403051, miembro de: 9949"] o fijarlas en horizontal y dejar que la naturaleza haga el trabajo duro 😉[/ quote]


: Clap:

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi
I think its Rotala indica 'bonzai' ....as Mick says!
Its in pretty poor state....best grow it emersed for a few months to get into good condition then add it to the aquarium!
hoggie

 

[James D]

Thanks for all the replies.

It seems to have perked up a bit after some time under the lights, it must have been packaged up for 7or 8 days in the post so it's no surpise it wasn't in the best condition.

pin them down horizontally and let nature do the hard work😉

Can you clarify this please BC? (Thanks for the offer BTW, I'll see how they get on first though)



Cheers!

 

[James D]

I forgot to ask.... Does higher light tend to make it grow more compact like the picture I posted further up? It looks very 'leggy' at the moment!

 

[Guest]

Yes...http://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/Rotala'Bonsai'(033ETC)/4451

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Does higher light tend to make it grow more compact like the picture I posted further up? It looks very 'leggy' at the moment!

Yes, the new internodes will be shorter, but it will always look a bit of an odd mixture. I'd definitely follow Mick.Dk's advice.

I'd let the plants grow and re-gain strength, for some weeks - then trim rather hard (= low) and re-plant the off-cuts in the group of cut stems. Rotala indica 'bonzai' is quite good at branching from cut stems (when in good health) and the off-cuts will hapily root and contribute to overall density of the group.

Cheers Darrel