Echinodorus sp. "muricatus"

The species name Echinodorus muricatus is a synonym of Echinodorus floribundus (= E. grandiflorus ssp. aureus) (see the respective data sheet).
The sword plant we describe here can be found in trade under the name E. muricatus but does not really belong to that species. For this reason, we put this name in quotation marks here. This plant rather seems to belong to the complex of E. cordifolius, but it might also be some sort of hybrid. It is possible that further Echinodorus forms are sold under the name "E. muricatus", too.

This sword plant is a rather fast grower and forms a large, wide leaf rosette in the aquarium. Its submersed leaves are longish-ovate to lanceolate and of a medium green colour. They are slightly transparent and look a little like the leaves of some varieties of Echinodorus uruguayensis. The leaf stalks are in most cases far shorter than the leaf blade.

This plant grows very well when cultivated emersed, too. Then it forms wide, medium-sized leaf rosettes. Its emersed leaves are ovate with an obtuse tip and a round to slightly heart-shaped base. The leaf veins are of a relatively light colour on the upper side of the leaf.
Frequently, long, low-lying flower stalks will develop, carrying adventitious plants, which make propagating this plant very easy and efficient. The flowers are relatively large-sized and have long stalklets, the petals sometimes are truncate.
Flower stalks may also develop on plants that are cultivated submersed.

To be continued...