Bolbitis heteroclita

Bolbitis heteroclita is a fern widespread in tropical Asia that colonises various moist to wet habitats, e.g. stream banks in rainforests. This species is very variable; in cultivation a number of variants with very different leaf shape and size are known, some of which were formerly regarded as separate species.

Rather “typical” plants of B. heteroclita occasionally come onto the market as aquarium plants. They mostly have large, lanceolate leaves similar to Java fern (Microsorum pteropus), often with one to two pairs of broad pinnae at the base of the leaf blade. The leaf tip is often long-drawn-out and develops bulbils on the upper side, from which young plants can sprout.

There is not much information about “normal” B. heteroclita as aquarium plants, but this fern is predominantly considered not well suited to aquariums. The dwarf forms B. heteroclita “cuspidata” and B. h. “difformis”, on the other hand, are rather to be recommended as submersed aquarium plants.

Bolbitis heteroclita can be cultivated without problems as a land plant on moist soil and at high humidity, e.g. as undergrowth in rainforest terrariums.

- To be continued -