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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PLANTS

Alternanthera reineckii (Alternandera Reineka)


Family Amaranthaceae (Amaranth)
Distribution South America
Marsh plant with erect, strongly lowered, 10 - 30 cm long red stalk. Leaves sessile or with petioles up to 0.5 cm, cross-opposite. Leaf entire, ovate, pointed, above water 2.5 X 1.2 cm, neutral green color; Under water 2 X 1 cm, from the outside of the neutral green to the greenish-pinkish, with an internal pink color. The edges of the leaf are not wavy.
Inflorescences sessile, axillary spikelets in groups of 1-5 with numerous flowers densely located to each other. Bracts ovoid, white. 4 tepals perianth, smooth, white. 4 stamens. The pistil is short. Seeds are many.
Alternante Reineka is a demanding, very light-loving aquarium plant. If the lower leaves rot in a healthy apex, then they lack light. Only at a sufficient intensity of illumination, the upper side of the sheet is painted in a pinkish-green color. For planting and rooting the most suitable is a fine-grained, nutrient-rich soil, the pH should be slightly acidic. Alternanthera reineckii grows no higher than 10 - 30 cm and is therefore the ideal foreground plant. The optimum temperature is 17-25 degrees C. Inflorescences and seeds often appear in the above-water position.
Inhabits flooded areas, banks of rivers and ponds. They are found in Bolivia and Argentina.