Microsorum pteropus
Microsorum pteropus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Division: | Pteridophyta |
Class: | Pteridopsida |
Order: | Polypodiales |
Family: | Polypodiaceae |
Genus: | Microsorum |
Species: | M. pteropus |
Binomial name | |
Microsorum pteropus Blume, 1933 | |
Microsorum pteropus, commonly known as Java fern after the Indonesian island of Java, is a highly variable plant with several different geographic varieties that vary in leaf size and shape. It is found growing attached to roots and rocks in nature, and can grow both fully and partially submerged. The plant can propagate through small adventitious plants, formed on the older leaves, which attach themselves to hard substrates.
In the aquarium
Java fern is one of the most popular plants in the aquarium hobby, due to its aesthetic appeal and ease of care. Several cultivars of Java fern exist, including the "narrow leaf", "needle leaf", "Windelov", "trident", and "lance leaf" variants. Cultivation in the aquarium is usually performed by tying the rhizome to rock or driftwood, instead of planting it directly into the substrate.
References
External links
- The Aquarium Wiki article on caring for Java fern in the aquarium
- Java fern (Microsorum pteropus) in its natural habitat.