Cryptocoryne spiralis var. spiralis

Cryptocoryne spiralis is a narrow-leaved water trumpet from the Asian mainland. It is found in the south of India and in Bangladesh, where it grows on riverbanks, temporarily flooded wetlands and in rice paddies, where it is considered a weed. Its species name hints to the spiralling spathe blade (up to five turns) of its inflorescence. The species is quite variable, two varieties have been described (var. spiralis and var. cognatoides), but there are also intermediate forms.
Those plants imported some time ago were more or less difficult in cultivatikon and only of limited use in the aquarium. However, the form of C. spiralis that is found in the hobby today is quite easy in cultivation and reproduces well by a large number of runners. It was brought from India by Prof. C.D.K. Cook in the 1990s.

As long as it does not bloom, the emersed form of C. spiralis is very hard to discern from plants from the Cryptocoryne crispatula group, like C. retrospiralis or C. albida.

To be continued...