''Ammannia senegalensis'', also known as copper leaf ammania, is a flowering plant native to western Senegal, often growing as a weed in rice paddies. The stem presents opposite leaves that start out green and rather broad and, later, become more narrow and reddish in colour. The

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

especially become red under intense light. There are several varieties, of unknown status, that differ in leaf shape and colour. The flowers are inconspicuous, growing from the leaf axils of emersed plants.

Cultivation

These plants prefer intense light for optimum growth. They can grow quickly in the right conditions and will grow in flooded conditions, if the water is shallow enough. They also grow very well with additional carbon dioxide added to the water. Ideal water conditions are soft and acidic, but these plants are generally hardy and adaptable in most moderate conditions. To grow well, they need a good iron

micronutrient Micronutrients are nutrient, essential dietary elements required by organisms in varying quantities throughout life to orchestrate a range of physiological functions to maintain health. Micronutrient requirements differ between organisms; for exam ...

to be added to an

aquarium An aquarium (plural: ''aquariums'' or ''aquaria'') is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aq ...

. They can be easily propagated by pushing cuttings into the

substrate Substrate may refer to: Physical layers *Substrate (biology), the natural environment in which an organism lives, or the surface or medium on which an organism grows or is attached ** Substrate (locomotion), the surface over which an organism lo ...

Bibliography

* Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952–. ''

Flora of Tropical East Africa The ''Flora of Tropical East Africa'' (FTEA) is a catalogue of all 12,104 known wild plant species in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. The project began in 1948 and was finally completed in September 2012. Approximately 1,500 new plant species were des ...

''. {{Taxonbar, from=Q4747162 Root vegetables senegalensis Aquatic plants Taxa named by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck