Subclass Asteridae ( Asteridae )
Order Scrophulariales ( Scrophulariales )
Family Acanthaceae ( Acanthaceae )
Genus Hygrophila — Hygrophila.
To be continued…
Small-leaf Siam Hygrophila — Hygrophila corymbosa siamensis “Small Leaf form”.
Found in nature in Southeast Asia (primarily Thailand). One of the color forms of Hygrophila corymbosa. It is distinguished by shortened leaf blades (up to 10 cm long) and a pinkish-reddish stem coloration. It has a high vegetation rate, a very decorative appearance, plasticity, and fast recovery after transplantation. Planted in groups (5-6 sprigs per hole) along the rear and side walls of the aquarium. Under good conditions, it quickly forms openwork, quite dense, light green thickets reaching the water surface, in the thickets of which many aquarium inhabitants love to spend time.
The most favorable conditions for the plant are considered to be: T 23-28°C, pH 6.5-7.5, dH 4-15°. The structure, chemical composition, and degree of siltation of the soil are not of fundamental importance, but regular application of liquid complex fertilizers has a positive effect on both the growth rate and the appearance of the plant. It is also recommended to periodically thin out the thickets to avoid excessive overcrowding and dense shading of bottom areas. Reproduction is vegetative – by cuttings.
Aromatic Shield Hygrophila — Hygrophila corymbosa “Aroma”.
«1» Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka. Under water, Hygrophila corymbosa “Aroma” has very long, narrow, and graceful leaves that are grouped closely together. If the plant is grown above water, the leaves become shorter and narrower, and acquire a strong aroma (hence the name). Height 20-30 cm. Width 20-40 cm.
«2» Temperature 20-30°C. Water hardness – very soft to hard. pH 5.5-8. Lighting – strong to very strong.
«5» Growth rate – slow. Keeping conditions are difficult.
Water Wisteria, Synnema. Three-flowered Synnema — Hygrophila (Synnema) difformis.
«1» Synonym: Synnema triflorum. (English: Water Wisteria). Distributed throughout Southeast Asia. It grows in marshy places, river floodplains, and periodically flooded meadows. In nature, it grows up to 50 cm in length, in aquarium conditions up to 30 cm. A very popular, beautiful long-stemmed plant whose leaf shape changes from oval to deeply lobed depending on the lighting. Under good conditions, the leaves are initially entire, then become carved, pinnately divided. This plant has oppositely arranged leaves, and in each subsequent whorl, they are oriented perpendicular to the leaves of the previous whorl.
Underwater leaves vary greatly in shape – from oval with slight serrations on the edges to deeply lobed. They can reach a length of 10 centimeters and a width of 8 cm. In color, the leaf is light green or dark green on top, and whitish-green on the reverse side. It responds to changes in maintenance conditions by changing the shape, pattern, and color of the leaves. Much depends on the brightness of the lighting: the more light, the more openwork the leaves become, and the larger the linear dimensions of the leaf blade.
Water Wisteria can “tell” about its mood and does so with its leaves. The fact is that lush, finely dissected leaves are a sign of a healthy plant. Transplant the wisteria — the leaves that grow after this will be either crooked or oval, without dissection. Turn down the light — the wisteria leaves will “say” that they have gotten worse. Forms with white and pink veins on the leaves have been bred. Currently, both names — water wisteria (synnema) and hygrophila — are found in special literature.
In addition to the nominal form, a mosaic form (“Variegated”) with white-silver veins on the green background of the leaf blade has appeared. It should be borne in mind that under low lighting, this beautiful pattern is weakly expressed. A similar species, Hygrophila balsamica, lives in India, but it differs in having more delicate carved leaves. Underwater, combed, deeply dissected, light green leaf blades up to 10 x 7 cm in size are formed. This plant contains toxic substances in its juices (like Elodea), which can harm the inhabitants of your aquarium. Therefore, Hygrophila balsamica should be cut into cuttings in a separate container of water to reduce the entry of plant juice into the aquarium.
«2» It is undemanding to keeping conditions. Wisteria is undemanding to water composition and grows even in shaded places. Most of all, hygrophila is suitable for a tropical aquarium with a water temperature of 24-28°C, but it can also be kept in a moderately warm aquarium at a water temperature of about 20-22°C. Under such conditions, it grows slowly. At a water temperature below 22°C, growth almost stops; at a temperature above 27°C, the growth rate is maximum. At lower temperatures, the leaves are thicker and smaller; at higher temperatures, they are larger and more divided.
The plant develops quite satisfactorily in almost any water: both in very soft water (up to 4°) with a pronounced acidic reaction (pH 5.0-5.5), and in hard water (over 16°) with an alkaline reaction (pH up to 8.5). In very soft and acidic water, it looks less attractive. It is very desirable to regularly replace 25% of the water volume.
Bright lighting is required to form lush foliage. The nature of lighting directly affects the growth and appearance of hygrophila. Under moderate lighting, its leaves are small and elliptical; under bright lighting, the leaf size increases significantly, and they acquire a beautiful carved shape. If there is not enough light, the distance between the leaves increases, the leaf blades become weakly dissected; under bright lighting, the opposite is true.
«4» The plant has a well-developed root system, with several long shoots extending from the root collar. Fine nutrient soil is needed, preferably using sand, although the use of fine gravel is also permissible; thickness does not matter. Small clay balls should be placed under the roots of the plant. For good growth, the plant needs iron to be present in the water, for which you need to use an iron-containing fertilizer or put special tablets into the soil under the roots. In the aquarium, hygrophila can be grown without soil, floating in the water column. When planted in soil, the plant forms a developed root system.
«5» You can keep this hygrophila in an aquarium of any volume. This is an amazing plant with a beautiful shape and color, suitable for any aquarium. Ideal for the first aquarium of beginner aquarists. The plant serves as a very good shelter for fish and fry. Also, many species of fish do not mind feasting on its leaves. Since the plant intensively absorbs organic compounds from the water, this helps in the fight against lower algae, which will no longer have enough nutrition for their development.
Wisteria is best placed in the background and along the side walls, as well as in the center of the aquarium. A group of plants planted in the middle of the aquarium, closer to the back wall against a dark background, looks especially beautiful. In the front part of the planting, short apical cuttings with bright green, dense leaves are often planted. They should be placed so that they are not shaded by other, larger plants. Best suited for terraced planting. The leaves are large — up to 10 cm in length, so sufficient space is required.
By the way, wisteria leaves reach their greatest size precisely when its top is near the water surface. To make the plant bush better, the top of the shoot is pinched. Upon reaching the surface, wisteria forms above-water shoots. A very hardy plant that also grows very quickly, without requiring special maintenance conditions, and can relatively quickly occupy the entire area in the aquarium. The plant grows so fast that you will have to constantly thin it out. Planting density — 1 plant per 20 cm2.
«6» Without human intervention, synnema quite quickly forms thickets using stem shoots located in the soil thickness and sprouting at some distance from the mother plant. It propagates by separating root shoots, dividing the stem, and can develop from a piece of leaf. The most common method of vegetative propagation is cutting (stem division). Each cutting must have at least 3 whorls of leaves. At first, it is best to leave the cuttings floating on the water surface. Then they quickly form roots at the base of the lower leaf whorl. After the formation of 2-3 new leaves, the young plant can be planted in the aquarium soil.
As a result of thinning, you can cut the plant at the height you want to leave, and the cut parts can be immediately planted in the soil, pressing them down with a stone. It will take very little time for the plant to put down roots and firmly root in the soil. A plant taken from the air environment can be immediately transferred to the aquarium. At the same time, the growth stop is short-lived — synnema adapts quite easily and quickly.
Identification: Water Wisteria — Hygrophila difformis.
Staurogyne repens, Staurogyne sp. “Bihar”.
Hygrophila corymbosa “Siamensis”, Hygrophila corymbosa “angustifolia”. 
