Staurogyne repens

Also known as S. repens, Staurogyne sp. 'Brazil'

FreshwaterCarpetingSide shootsCuttings

Staurogyne repens (Staurogyne repens) — 호로조 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Light: Medium light
CO2: CO₂ beneficial
Growth rate: Medium
Placement: Foreground
Type: Carpeting
Temperature: 68–82°F (20–28°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Hardness: 0–12 dGH
Max height: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Spread: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Nutrient uptake: Root + water column
Growth region: Submersed or emersed
Difficulty: Easy
Origin: Brazil (Rio Cristalino, Mato Grosso)
Family: Acanthaceae

Overview

A compact bushy carpeter for the foreground or low midground. Separate the in-vitro clump into small portions and plant each a few centimeters apart so they fill in. It will grow without CO2 but stays lower, greener, and denser with injection plus medium to strong light and a nutrient-rich substrate. Trim the tops regularly to force side shoots and a tighter mat, and replant the cuttings into gaps. Slow to take off compared to hairgrass, so be patient through the first weeks.

In the wild

Native to the Rio Cristalino in Mato Grosso, Brazil, where it grows along riverbanks that flood seasonally. It is amphibious, living emersed on damp ground in the dry season and fully submersed when water rises. Found in soft, slightly acidic to neutral water.

Good to know

A member of the Acanthaceae (acanthus family), the same family as Hygrophila. It was collected and brought into the hobby by Tropica around 2008 and formally described as Staurogyne repens in 2010. Despite carpeting like a foreground plant, it is botanically a low, creeping stem plant with opposite leaves, not a true rosette or runner-spreading species.

Did you know

Did you know the trimmed-off tops can simply be pushed back into the substrate and they will root and grow, so a single pot can slowly seed an entire carpet for free.