TankBud

Narrow leaf chain sword

Helanthium bolivianum 'Angustifolius'

Also known as Echinodorus angustifolius, Echinodorus bolivianus 'Angustifolius', Grass chain sword

FreshwaterRosetteRunners

Narrow leaf chain sword (Helanthium bolivianum 'Angustifolius')
Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light
Medium light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
68–82°F
20–28°C
Max height
23.6 in
60 cm
Growth rate
Medium
Placement
Background
Type
Rosette
pH
5.0–7.5
Hardness
1–14 dGH
Spread
5.9 in (15 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Alismataceae
Origin
South America (probably Mato Grosso, Brazil)

Overview

A grassy, Vallisneria-style plant for the background and tank sides that spreads on its own by runners, so young plants can appear almost overnight. It is undemanding but needs enough trace elements, especially iron, or the leaves go pale; a substrate fertiliser or well-dosed water column fixes this. Strong light and CO2 speed it up but are not required, making it a good low-tech choice. In tall tanks the long leaves stand upright, while in shallow tanks they lie in floating swathes near the surface.

In the wild

A South American chain sword, probably from the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, that grows in marshy shallows and along river margins. It spreads across open ground by runners, forming loose colonies of narrow, grassy plants. In shallow water and emersed conditions it grows as a marsh plant, and it adapts readily to full submersion.

Good to know

Better known by its old name Echinodorus angustifolius, it now sits in the genus Helanthium in the family Alismataceae. It has been identified as a triploid form of Helanthium bolivianum by chromosome counting. Its band-like submersed leaves are only about 3 to 4 mm wide but can exceed 50 to 60 cm long, staying shorter under stronger light.

Did you know

Did you know this grassy sword is a genetic triplicate? Scientists counted its chromosomes and found it is a triploid form of Helanthium bolivianum, which is part of why it spreads so freely by runners but rarely sets viable seed in the tank.

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