Hygrophila triflora -1 Bunch

This Hygrophila is still new to the aquarium hobby. It was introduced few years ago from India to Europe as Hygrophila difformis 'Red'. Christel Kasselmann examined the emersed flowering plant and identified it as Hygrophila triflora. This species occurs in India, Bangladesh and Guam along water courses. It is closely related to and was often included into Hygrophila difformis, the well-known Water wisteria. However, in its terrestrial form Hygrophila triflora develops more flowers per leaf axil, and it differs even more in its underwater form. Under same conditions H. triflora has smaller, less deeply cut submerged leaves than H. difformis, and under strong lighting the shoot tip may be deeply brown-red. Otherwise its coloration is very changeable and varies between light olive green and reddish. The plant grows a little slower than H. difformis. The stems ramify quite well and tend to spreading, slanted, partly horizontal growth.