TankBud

Staurogyne Porto Velho

Staurogyne sp. 'Porto Velho'

Also known as Staurogyne sp. Manaus, Hygrophila sp. Roraima, Porto Velho staurogyne

FreshwaterCarpetingCuttingsSide shoots

Care at a glance

Light
High light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
68–82°F
20–28°C
Max height
3.1 in
8 cm
Growth rate
Slow
Placement
Foreground
Type
Carpeting
pH
5.0–7.5
Hardness
0–30 dGH
Spread
3.9 in (10 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Medium
Family
Acanthaceae
Origin
Brazil (Rondonia and Roraima)

Overview

A small creeping stem plant grown as a dense low foreground carpet rather than an upright stem. It is more demanding than Staurogyne repens, wanting bright light, CO2 and a rich substrate to stay compact and to draw out the purplish coloration; without CO2 it tends to grow more vertically and growth is on the slow side. Trim across the top and replant the head cuttings and side shoots to thicken the carpet.

In the wild

Comes from the western Brazilian states of Rondonia and Roraima, near Porto Velho (the capital of Rondonia) after which the trade name is taken. It grows along shaded stream and river margins in the Amazon basin. It has a low creeping habit and hugs the substrate like ivy.

Good to know

An undescribed species in the family Acanthaceae, so it is a close relative of Staurogyne repens and, more distantly, of Hygrophila; it was at first thought to be a Hygrophila and material traded as Hygrophila sp. 'Roraima' appears to be the same plant. It has narrow lanceolate leaves in a grayish to olive green with purplish undertones, and the stems can flush reddish-purple under strong light. Because it has never been formally described it is still traded only under the informal 'Porto Velho' label.

Did you know

Did you know that despite being one of the most popular new foreground plants in the United States and Japan, this species is still botanically unnamed and is almost never grown in Europe.

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