Cryptocoryne crispatula var. flaccidifolia vs. Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae

What I am calling Crypt. crispatula var. flaccidifolia (left) vs Crypt. crispatula var. balansae 'red stem' (right).    Ive grown the flaccidifolia for over 10 years thiking it was a limp variety of balansae. Some people also grow a similar looking palnt and call it C. retrospiralis but based on the description for C. retrospiralis on the Crypts pages I think this is incorrect.  The characters that distinguish it are the limper leaves (more flaccid!) and the undulating margins of the leaves compared to the balansae that usually has a straight margin and bullate blade.

There are a number of varieties of Crypt. crispatula var. balanasae in Australia - this one is the 'red stem' variety where the petioles and central vein can be quite a dark red. There are others with creamy white petioles and veins that I unimaginatively call Crypt. crispatula var. balanasae 'green' to distinguish it.

Cryptocoryne cf. ×willisii (Aquafleur Cryptocoryne amicorum)

Edited: 9/05/17 to change the name

Young plants waiting to be potted.

The dutch company Aquafleur propagates this plant and calls it Cryptocoryne amicorum.  The problem is that Crypt. amicorum is now widely accepted as a synonym of the older name Cryptocoryne minima and this plant looks quite different to Crypt. minima.

Speculation on the APC forum suggests this is perhaps a variety of Cryptocoryne ×willisii (presumably because of the distinctive shape of the leaves). For now I'm changing my labels to Cryptocoryne cf. ×willisii (amicorum). The cf. is an abbreviation for the latin confer and is used in this manner to mean "looks like but we dont know the real name".

Crypt IDs can do your head in.  I really want to get this one into emersed culture and see a spathe to have a better indication of what it really is.    It bothers me to change the name from the label that came with the plant... but it bothers me more that the supplying companies don't care a little more to get the names right.

Cryptocoryne walkeri 'legroi'

Cryptocoryne walkeri 'legroi' - a crappy photo of a plant that has now melted.  I have some coming back in emersed pots.  Seems a very fickle plant that needs no excuse to melt.

Cryptocoryne beckettii

A pretty rough 'n ready Crypt. beckettii spathe.  Plenty of new growth so clearly the plant is happy enough.

Cryptocoryne crispatula var. kubotae

 

This is a young plant coming back from near death after a brief stint submerged.  The variety that is in Australia is proving very hard to grow immersed but is quite robust emersed. It was thought to be lost for many years...but miraculously was found in a collection or re-imported.

The variety we knew as Crypt tonkinensis was recently named Cryptocoryne crispatula var. kubotae

Niels Jacobsen, Jan D. Bastmeijer, Bhanubong Bongcheewin, Takashige Idei, Duangchai Sookchaloem & Marian Ørgaard (2015) A new variety of Cryptocoryne crispatula Engl. (Araceae) from Thailand.  Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany) p.p. 104–110 [download PDF ]

The "real" tonkinensis from the former Tonkin province in northern Vietnam is a more robust plant : see: Willdenowia August 2015,- "The identity of Cryptocoryne crispatula var. tonkinensis (Araceae)"

Every day... something new :D