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Anubias is a genus of aquatic and semi-aquatic flowering plant
Flowering plant

The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of Embryophytes. The flowering plants and the gymnosperms are the only extant groups of Spermatophyte....
s in the family Araceae
Araceae

Araceae is a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe or leaf-like hood....
, native to tropical central and western Africa
Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
. They primarily grow in rivers and streams, but can also be found in marshes. They are characterized by broad, thick, dark leaves that come in many different forms. The genus was revised in 1979 and since then its nomenclature
Botanical nomenclature

Botanical nomenclature is the formal naming of plants, from a scientific point of view. It has a long history, going back perhaps to Theophrastos, but anyway back to the period when Latin was the scientific language throughout Europe....
 has been stable. Species can be determined by using mostly characteristics of the inflorescence
Inflorescence

An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a Plant stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches....
.

nubias are commonly used in aquarium
Aquarium

An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. fishkeeping use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants....
s, usually attached to rocks or bogwood.






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Encyclopedia


Anubias is a genus of aquatic and semi-aquatic flowering plant
Flowering plant

The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of Embryophytes. The flowering plants and the gymnosperms are the only extant groups of Spermatophyte....
s in the family Araceae
Araceae

Araceae is a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe or leaf-like hood....
, native to tropical central and western Africa
Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
. They primarily grow in rivers and streams, but can also be found in marshes. They are characterized by broad, thick, dark leaves that come in many different forms. The genus was revised in 1979 and since then its nomenclature
Botanical nomenclature

Botanical nomenclature is the formal naming of plants, from a scientific point of view. It has a long history, going back perhaps to Theophrastos, but anyway back to the period when Latin was the scientific language throughout Europe....
 has been stable. Species can be determined by using mostly characteristics of the inflorescence
Inflorescence

An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a Plant stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches....
.

Reproduction and uses

Anubias are commonly used in aquarium
Aquarium

An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. fishkeeping use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants....
s, usually attached to rocks or bogwood. In contrast to most plants, Anubias generally prefer subdued lighting and can also produce flowers underwater. In the aquarium they should be placed in shaded areas, otherwise algae will develop on the leaves.

Anubias are considered by many aquarists some of the easiest plants to maintain, since their light and nutrient requirements are very low and also because herbivorous
Herbivore

Herbivory is a form of predation in which an organism, known as an herbivore, heterotrophs principally autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria....
 fish will not eat it. This is why Anubias are some of the few plants which can be used in aquariums with African cichlid
Cichlid

Cichlids are fish from the family Cichlidae in the order Perciformes. The family Cichlidae, a major family of perciform fish, is both large and diverse....
s and goldfish
Goldfish

The goldfish is a domesticated version of the Prussian carp , a dark-gray/brown carp native to Asia. It was first bred for color in China over 1,000 years ago....
es.

Reproduction in artificial environments can be accomplished by stolon division or from side shoots. The stolon
Stolon

Stolons are horizontal plant stems which grow at the soil surface or below ground. They form new plants at the ends or at the Node s. Stolons are often called runners....
 must always be above the substrate in order to survive, otherwise it will rot and the plant dies. It is also possible to propagate Anubias by seed.

The natural growth rate of all species in this genus is rather slow. Usually, they produce a leaf every 3 weeks, or even slower. Unfortunately, these are also among the few plants that do not respond to CO2 addition.

The most commonly available species of this genus is Anubias barteri Schott, which is very polymorphic and is subdivided into several varieties. The biggest representatives of the genus are Anubias gigantea Chevalier ex Hutchinson and Anubias heterophylla Engler. Their leaf-stems can grow up to 83 cm, with leaves 40 cm long and 14 cm broad with lateral lobes up to 28 cm long and 10 cm broad. The smallest representative is Anubias barteri var. nana
Anubias barteri var. nana

Anubias barteri var. nana was first described by Adolf Engler in 1899 as A. nana. The species was reduced to varietal status in 1979....
 (Engler) Crusio, with a height up to 10 cm and with leaves up to 6 cm long and 3 cm broad.

Anubias can best be grown emersed (above water). For this reason they may be used in paludarium
Vivarium

A vivarium is a usually enclosed area for keeping and raising animals or plants for observation or research. Often, a portion of the ecosystem for a particular species is simulated on a smaller scale, with controls for environmental conditions....
s.

Quick facts


Anubias afzelii Schott
  • Narrow-leafed, medium-sized Anubias.
  • Characteristics: plant with stolon.
  • Leaf-stem: uo to 20 cm
  • Leaves: 13-35 cm long, 3-13 cm broad
  • Height in aquarium: 25 - 30 cm
Optimal conditions:
  • Temperature: 22 - 27 °C
  • pH: 6.0 - 7.0
  • Water hardness: 2 dGH - 6 dGH
  • Position in aquarium: middle to back
  • Usual growth rate: one leaf every 2 months


Anubias barteri Schott

Common varieties:

Anubias barteri var. angustifolia (Engler) Crusio
  • Synonym: Anubias lanceolata f. angustifolia Engler.
  • Narrow leafs, similar to afzelii, but much smaller
  • Leaf-stem: up to 32 cm
  • Leaves: up to 18 cm long, up to 3.5 cm wide
  • Height in aquarium: 10 - 15 cm
Optimal conditions:
  • Temperature: 20 - 27 °C
  • pH: 5.5 - 8.0
  • Water hardness: < 8 dGH
  • Position in aquarium: middle
  • Usual growth rate: one leaf every 2 months


Anubias barteri var. barteri
Anubias barteri var. barteri

Anubias barteri was first described in 1860 by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott....
  • Compact, heart-shaped anubias
  • Leaf-stem: up to 23 cm
  • Leaves: 7-23 cm long, 4-11 cm wide
  • Height in aquarium: 25 - 45 cm
Optimal conditions:
  • Temperature: 20 - 27 °C
  • pH: 5.5 - 9.0
  • Water hardness: < 20 dGH
  • Position in aquarium: back
  • Usual growth rate: one leaf every 3 months


Anubias barteri var. caladiifolia Engler
  • Heart-shaped anubias
  • Leaf-stem: up to 54 cm
  • Leaves: 10-23 cm long, 5-14 cm wide
  • Height in aquarium: 7 - 30 cm
Optimal conditions:
  • Temperature: 20 - 27 °C
  • pH: 5.5 - 8.0
  • Water hardness: < 20 dGH
  • Position in aquarium: middle to back
  • Usual growth rate: one leaf every 2 months


"Anubias barteri var. coffeefolia"
  • New leaves are red-brown
Several varieties of Anubias barteri (and also some specimens of some other species) will sometimes produce red-brown leaves. Although these plants have been traded under the name "Anubias barteri var. coffeefolia", this name has no taxonomic status. Leave color is not important in determining to which Anubias species a certain plant belongs.

Anubias barteri var. glabra N. E. Brown
  • Synonyms: Anubias lanceolata N. E. Brown, Anubias minima Chevalier.
  • Narrow-leafed, large anubias
  • Leaf-stem: up to 35 cm long
  • Leaves: spear-shaped, up to 21 cm long, 9 cm wide
  • Height in aquarium: 30 - 50 cm
Optimal conditions:
  • Temperature: 22 - 27 °C
  • pH: 5.5 - 8.0
  • Water hardness: < 20 dGH
  • Position in aquarium: back
  • Usual growth rate: 4 - 8 leaves per year


Anubias barteri var. nana (Engler) Crusio
Anubias barteri var. nana

Anubias barteri var. nana was first described by Adolf Engler in 1899 as A. nana. The species was reduced to varietal status in 1979....
  • Synonym: Anubias nana Crusio
  • Dwarf, creeping, with heart-shaped leaves
  • Leaf-stem: up to 5 cm long
  • Leaves: up to 6 cm long and 3 cm wide
  • Height in aquarium: 5 - 10 cm
Optimal conditions:
  • Temperature: 22 - 27 °C
  • pH: 5.5 - 9.0
  • Water hardness: 3 - 10 dGH
  • Position in aquarium: front
  • Usual growth rate: one leaf every month


Anubias gigantea Chevalier ex Hutchinson
  • Synonyms: Anubias gigantea var. tripartita Chevalier, Anubias hastifolia var. robusta Engler
  • Large arrow-shaped leaves
  • Leaf-stem: up to 83 cm long
  • Leaves: up to 30 cm long and 14 cm wide, with large lateral lobes up to 28 cm long and 10 cm broad
  • Seldomly used in aquariums


Anubias gilletii De Wildeman & Durand
  • Initially heart-shaped, later with long rear fringes.
  • Leaf-stem: up to 40 cm
  • Leaves: arrow-shaped, 25 cm long, 12 - 13 cm wide, lateral lobes up to 13 cm long
  • Height in aquarium: 25 - 40 cm
Optimal conditions:
  • Temperature: 22 - 27 °C
  • pH: 6.0 - 8.0
  • Water hardness: 4 - 10 dGH
  • Position in aquarium: back
  • Usual growth rate: 2 - 6 leaves per year


Anubias gracilis Chevalier ex Hutchinson
Anubias gracilis

Anubias gracilis was first mentioned in 1920 by Chevalier and thereafter validly described by Hutchinson and Dalziel in 1936....
  • Whether this is a separate species or another variety of Anubias barteri is doubtful
  • Leaf-stem: up to 33 cm
  • Leaves: triangular heart-shaped, 12 cm long, 4-10 cm wide, lateral lobes up to 7 cm long and 3 cm wide
  • Height in aquarium: 20 - 30 cm
Optimal conditions:
  • Temperature: 24 - 27 °C
  • pH: 6.0 - 8.0
  • Water hardness: 5 - 12 dGH
  • Position in aquarium: middle to back
  • Usual growth rate: 2 - 6 leaves per year


Anubias hastifolia Engler
  • Synonyms: Amauriella hastifolia (Engler) Hepper, Anubias hastifolia var. sublobata Engler, Anubias auriculata Engler, Amauriella auriculata (Engler) Hepper, Anubias haullevilleana De Wildeman, Anubias laurentii De Wildeman, Amauriella obanensis Rendle, Amauriella talbotii Rendle
  • Leaves: long heart-shaped
  • Leaf-stem: up to 67 cm long
  • Leaves: up to 33 cm long and 14 cm wide, lateral lobes up to 26 cm long and 8 cm broad
  • Height in aquarium: 30 - 50 cm
Optimal conditions:
  • Temperature: 22 - 27 °C
  • pH: 6.0 - 8.0
  • Water hardness: < 20 dGH
  • Position in aquarium: middle to back
  • Usual growth rate: 2 - 6 leaves per year
Anubias heterophylla Engler
  • Synonyms: Anubias congensis N. E. Brown, Anubias congensis var. crassispadix Engler, Anubias affinis De Wildeman, Anubias engleri De Wildeman, Anubias bequertii De Wildeman, Anubias undulata (trade name)
  • Very large species, for tall aquariums
  • Leaf-stem: up to 66 cm long
  • Leaves: 38 cm long, 13 cm wide, sometimes with very short basal lobes
  • Height in aquarium: 25 - 60 cm
Optimal conditions:
  • Temperature: 24 - 27 °C
  • pH: 5.5 - 8.0
  • Water hardness: 5 - 12 dGH
  • Position in aquarium: back
  • Usual growth rate: 2 - 4 leaves per year


Anubias pynaertii De Wildeman
  • Leaf-stem: up to 45 cm
  • Leaves: up to 29 cm long and 14 cm broad


See also

  • Aquatic plant
    Aquatic plant

    Aquatic plants — also called hydrophytic plants or hydrophytes — are plants that have adapted to living in or on aquatic environments....
  • List of freshwater aquarium plant species
    List of freshwater aquarium plant species

    Aquatic plants are used to give the aquarium a natural appearance, oxygenate the water, and provide Habitat for fish, especially fry and for invertebrate species....