''Limnophila sessiliflora'', known as dwarf ambulia, ambulis, and Asian marshweed is a flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae.

Synonyms

''Ambulia'' ''Ambulia sessiliflora''; ''Hottonia sessiliflora''; ''Stemodia sessiliflora''; ''Terebinthina sessiliflora''; ''Stemodiacra sessiliflora''

Distribution

S.E. Asia Escaped into a number of countries where conditions are suitable and sometimes classified as a weed - in paddy rice fields of India, China, Japan and the Philippines. Now is naturalized in several counties in Florida, from south Florida to the

Florida Panhandle The Florida Panhandle (also West Florida and Northwest Florida) is the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Florida; it is a Salient (geography), salient roughly long and wide, lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia (U. ...

. Some species are native to Australia.

Ecology

Very adaptable; has been found growing in mountain streams, lakes, rivers and even damp soils.

Description

Looks superficially rather similar to

Cabomba ''Cabomba'' is an aquatic plant genus, one of two belonging to the family Cabombaceae. It has divided submerged leaves in the shape of a fan (hence the vernacular name fanwort) and is much favoured by aquarists as an ornamental and oxygenating pl ...

but it has

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 ...

in proper whorls, about 1.2 inches (3 cm) in diameter. The

are pinnate and bright green in colour. Under strong light the

take on a reddish hue. When the plant has received enough light for the day, the whorls of leaves tend to close up and "go to sleep". Can reach over 16 inches (40 cm) in height. The submerse

are very different from the emerse forms - dark green, more or less lance-shaped. The fruit are capsules, ellipsoid, 3.5-5.5 mm long, green-brown when submersed, dark brown when emersed.

Cultivation

Quite commonly used as a bunch plant in aquariums. Needs medium light (more light results in better growth and appearance) and a nutrient-rich water column. Benefits from the addition of CO₂. Like many stem plants, it tends to take on a leggy growth in poor light. Propagated by cuttings. Growth conditions: Ph 6–7.5 3-25 dGH 3-25 dKH Temperature 22 - 28'C A nutrient-rich substrate also benefits the plant.

References

* Biswas D, Calder CC. 1955. Handbook of Common Water and Marsh Plants of India and Buram. Health Bull. 24, Delhi, 47 pp. * Dutta NM. 1975. A Revision of the genus Limnophila of eastern India. Bull. Bot. Soc. Bengal. 29:1-7 * Gilbert KM. 1984. A review of the aquatic plants Limnophila heterophylla and Limnophila sessiliflora. Bureau of Aquatic Plant Research and Control Dept. of Natural Resources. 12 pp. * Mahler MJ. 1980. Limnophila, a new exotic pest. Aquatics 2:4-7 * Philcox D. 1970. A taxonomic revision of the genus Limnophila R. Br. (scrophulariaceae). Kew Bull. 24(1):101-170 * Rataj K, Horeman TJ. 1977. Aquarium Plants. T.F. H. Publications: Neptune City. * Sculthorpe CD. 1967. The Biology of Aquatic Vascular Plants. Edward Arnold Publ. Ltd.: London. 610 pp. * Spencer W, Bowes G. 1985. Limnophila and Hygrophila: a review and physiological assessment of their weed potential in Florida. J. Aq. Pl. Manag. 23:7-16 * Yamazaki T. 1985. A revision of the genera Limnophila and Torenia from Indochina. Journ. Fac. Sci. Univ. Todyo. III 13: 575-624 * Yang YP, Yen SH. 1997. Notes on Limnophila (scrophulariaceae) of Taiwan. Botanical Bulletin of Academia Sinica. pp. 285–294

External links

Tropica

Univ of Florida
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1768430 Plantaginaceae Flora of Asia