Cryptocoryne mekongensis is a species belonging to the Aroid

Araceae

Araceae are 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 bract. Also known as the Arum family, members are often colloquially...

 genus Cryptocoryne

Cryptocoryne

Cryptocoryne is a genus of about 50-60 species of aquatic monocot plants from the family Araceae . The genus is naturally distributed in tropical regions of Asia and New Guinea....

that was described in 2010.

Distribution

The species is found in the Mekong

Mekong

The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....

 region of southern Laos

Laos

Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...

 and Cambodia

Cambodia

Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...

.

Description

The species is characterized by a one to three times twisted spathe limb that is purple colored at the inside, with a purple collar. The limb also has pronounced transverse surface ridges.

Cultivation

The species is easy to cultivate emersed with much light in a sandy soil with some loam added.