Syngonanthus Belem

Syngonanthus macrocaulon

Also known as Syngonanthus sp. 'Belem', Tonina sp. 'Belem', Syngonanthus anomalus

FreshwaterStemSide shootsCuttings

Syngonanthus Belem (Syngonanthus macrocaulon) — Egleria · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Light: High light
CO2: CO₂ required
Temperature: 64–84°F; 18–29°C
Max height: 7.9 in; 20 cm

Growth rate: Medium
Placement: Midground
Type: Stem
pH: 4.5–6.5
Hardness: 0–5 dGH
Spread: 1.6 in (4 cm)
Nutrient uptake: Root + water column
Growth region: Submersed
Difficulty: Difficult
Family: Eriocaulaceae
Origin: Brazil (blackwater rivers near Belem, at the mouth of the Amazon)

Overview

A softwater collector stem plant that demands high light, CO2, and low GH/KH (under 5) with an acidic aquasoil. Regular water-column dosing, especially of iron, keeps the tops a vivid green rather than pale. Trim only from the bottom since the dense crown holds the visual appeal, and expect an adaptation period after any change in water chemistry.

In the wild

Native to very soft, acidic blackwater rivers in Brazil near Belem at the mouth of the Amazon. It grows as an upright plant with whorled, needle-fine leaves forming a bright green star-shaped crown.

Good to know

First brought into the hobby as 'Tonina sp. Belem', it was later confirmed by botanists to belong to Syngonanthus and is generally treated as Syngonanthus macrocaulon, a name Kew regards as a synonym of Syngonanthus anomalus. It sits in the pipewort family, Eriocaulaceae, alongside Tonina and Eriocaulon. It is a stem-forming pipewort, and its bright colour is strongly tied to iron availability.

Did you know

Did you know Syngonanthus 'Belem' spent years wearing the wrong name? It entered the hobby labelled Tonina sp. 'Belem' before botanists reassigned it to the genus Syngonanthus, and the old trade name still sticks around.