Elatine hydropiper
by Robert Paul Hudson
Elantine hydropiper is a very small leaf stem plant for the foreground of the aquarium. Little has been written about this plant. It is native to cold regions of Europe, Siberia, China, and north eastern Canada in very shallow pools, along river banks, and in marshy areas. It grows both as a fully aquatic and in terrestrial mud.
Anubias of Italy , a commercial grower specializing in rare plants to the hobby, has introduced this plant to the hobby in Europe and as a result it has found its way to some collectors in the USA. It creates a dense, low growing carpet and reminds some hobbyists of a dwarf size Glossostigma.
E triandra is much more common and is considered a fast growing and potentially invasive species, while hydropiper grows very slowly. It is also unknown how well this plant will tolerate the higher temperatures often kept in aquariums, but those originating from Italy have not had any reports of temperature issues. It is a very attractive plant that I have recently been able to obtain and I look forward to experimenting with it.
