TankBud

Bucephalandra belindae

Also known as Buce Belindae, Bucephalandra 'Belinda', Bucephalandra 'Fake Catherinae'

FreshwaterRhizomeRhizome division

Bucephalandra belindae (Bucephalandra belindae)
Buce Plant · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light
Low light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
Max height
2.4 in
6 cm
Growth rate
Slow
Placement
Epiphyte
Type
Rhizome
pH
6.0–7.5
Hardness
4–12 dGH
Spread
3.9 in (10 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Araceae
Origin
Borneo (south of Nanga Pinoh, Melawi regency, West Kalimantan, Indonesia)

Overview

Bucephalandra belindae is a small, mat-forming Buce for the foreground. Wild plants stand about 3 cm tall, and it is an easy plant in low light.

Did you know

Bucephalandra belindae often flowers in tanks. Its flower stalks reach 4 to 5 cm, taller than the leafy plant. Wong and Boyce suggest these tall stalks let it bloom while submerged.

Caring for Bucephalandra belindae

Glue small portions of Bucephalandra belindae to rock or wood, and keep the thin stems out of the substrate. The creeping stems branch, and a portion slowly knits into a dense mat.

Low light is enough. It takes nutrients through its roots and from the water, so CO2 with regular liquid fertilizer speeds its slow growth. Keep it at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) with a pH of 6 to 7.5.

Keep light and water chemistry steady, since sudden changes are the usual cause of melt. In a tank it grows to about 6 cm tall. Snip branched stems apart to start new plants.

Good to know

Wong and Boyce named Bucephalandra belindae in 2014, one of 19 new species in their revision of the genus. The name honors Belinda Tan Cho Hiang, wife of the plant collector Kazuya Nakamoto. The leaves are very narrow, 2.5 to 3 cm long and about 2 mm wide, with tightly crisped edges. They are dark green above and reddish beneath, in rosettes at the tips of branching stems. The paper lists "Belinda" and "Fake Catherinae" as trade names, and B. catherineae is the species it most resembles.

In the wild

Bucephalandra belindae is known from a single granite cascade, a little over 100 m long, 33 km south of Nanga Pinoh in West Kalimantan. Water runs over the rock constantly, under humid hill forest at 260 to 350 m. The plants form wide mats of tangled, weakly rooted stems, and much of each mat hangs in the current.

Common questions

Does Bucephalandra belindae need to be planted in the substrate?

No. Bucephalandra belindae grows attached to rock or wood, so tie or glue the rhizome in place. If you plant its roots, keep the rhizome above the substrate, since a buried rhizome rots.

Does Bucephalandra belindae need CO2?

No, but it helps. Bucephalandra belindae can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does Bucephalandra belindae need?

Bucephalandra belindae is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.

Does Bucephalandra belindae need root tabs?

No. Bucephalandra belindae feeds from the water, so a liquid fertilizer suits it better. Root tabs only help if its roots reach into the substrate.

How do you propagate Bucephalandra belindae?

Bucephalandra belindae propagates by rhizome division. Cut the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each, then tie or plant each piece.

How tall does Bucephalandra belindae grow?

Bucephalandra belindae grows to about 2.4 in (6 cm) tall. It grows slowly and rarely needs trimming.

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