Staurogyne Repens

About

Found growing along the banks and shallows of fast-moving rivers in Guyana and the Brazilian states of Pará, Amazonas, and Mato Grosso, this tough little plant, Staurogyne repens, has become a genuine go-to for aquascapers who want a low foreground or midground accent without a lot of fuss. In the wild it clings to rocky substrate in clear, flowing water, which gives you a hint of its constitution: it is adaptable and reasonably hard to kill. In the aquarium it forms a dense, creeping mat of small rounded leaves on sturdy stems, staying compact and branching readily when trimmed. The foliage is a muted olive-green, nothing gaudy, but it provides a welcome textural contrast against finer-leaved plants or open substrate. It will grow in lower light, though it grows slowly under those conditions and can get a little leggy. Give it moderate light and a nutrient-rich substrate and it fills in much more assertively. CO2 injection is not strictly necessary but does make a noticeable difference in growth rate and density. It propagates easily from cuttings pushed back into the substrate, making it a generous plant once established. A forgiving choice for newer planted tank keepers.