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Echinodorus schlueteri Like other species this taxon will not be accepted as an own species by Haynes & Holm-Nielsen, because Rataj described cultivated plants and not natural grown material, collected at its habitat. The origin of the described material was part of commercial imports, perhaps from the brasilian nursery Lotus Osiris. The natural habitat was never publicated by the collectors and so the exact location is not known.
This species ist a small or medium sized taxon, and can be used in the foreground of large tanks or as solitaire in smaller tanks. Submersed plants grow depending to nutrient and light offers between 2 or 10 inches. The petioles can be up to 4 inches and the blades are ovate and less or more cordate at the basis, the apex acuminate. Young leaves have less ore more small brownish spots, soon disappearing in the light green of the blades. The brownish spots remain at the plants of Echinodorus schlueteri ‘Leopard’. E. schlueteri needs strong lightning and take shadowing amiss. The optimum temperature is in lower region, about 20 to 25 °C. There are no high demands to hardness and acity of water. Even without adding carbonic acid you can get a satisfactionary growing, so this plant is suitable for beginners and low-tech aquarists. But the demand to nutrients is high. You should use clay in the ground. Adding trace elements like iron and manganese is necessary to avoid deficiency symptoms (bleeched or yellow blades). |
