Liverworts

[timebomb]

Hi, folks,

Besides more species of mosses, I will also be bringing some Liverworts for Prof Tan to identify tomorrow. One liverwort whose identity is still a mystery is the Mini-Riccia that appeared on the market about 2 years ago. I believe some of our foreign friends might never have seen this plant before so here's a picture:



The Mini-Riccia looks very much like normal Riccia fluitans except that they are much smaller. Here's a picture comparing the 2:



Left is Mini-Riccia, the one on the right is normal Riccia fluitans.

Here's another pic of the 2 plants, taken with them floating on water.



As you can see, they look alike but their sizes differ a lot.

There's also another mystery concerning Riccia fluitans. When they have been grown submersed for a while, Riccia fluitans sometimes mutate into another form. They became darker and unlike normal Riccia which floats, the mutated dark form sinks. Here's a pic comparing the normal Riccia against its darker form.



Someone on the APD once said that the dark sinking Riccia is actually another species called Riccia rhenana. But I have never heard of seen such a plant before.

Let's hope the professor can help clear up the mysteries. I like to thank Azmi of Eco-Culture fish shop for donating all the plants mentioned above. I wish there were more fish shop owners like Azmi. He gave the plants to me for free when I told him I wanted to buy them for the professor.

Loh K L

[hwchoy]

well clearly one species cannot turn into another just because it had grown submersed for a while. that's one scenario we can rule out.

[CM Media]

Just to add another picture on the 2 riccia.....



On the left is the nornal size riccia and on the right is the so-called mini riccia.

[hwchoy]

Au, if possible to take the pic together with a ruler will be very useful.

[blinkytom]

Hi KL

I've see Mini Riccia in Engand. It was being grown attatched to a piece of Terracotta pot. It came into the shop from Tropica so if anyone wants some of this plant any Tropica dealer should be able to get hold of it. I do remember it was quite expensive though.

[imported_brbarkey]

I bought riccia last year...and my riccia does not look like the normal riccia...it looks more like mini riccia. Perhaps everyone over on this side of the pond is confused where they think they have riccia, but instead we have mini riccia...Loh I will send a small piece with the moss...a very small piece...I threw all of it out and only have a few remaining pieces left.

ben

[timebomb]

I bought riccia last year...and my riccia does not look like the normal riccia...it looks more like mini riccia.

Ben,

Could it be yours are "stunted" riccia?

The Prof said the Mini-Riccia is also Riccia fluitans but in another form. Form is where a plant differs from another by only one character. In the case of the Mini-Riccia, that character difference is size.

The Professor gave me a book called "Guide to the common Liverworts and Hornworts of Singapore". It seems like there's another species of Riccia called Riccia treubiana that can be found extensively growing on the sides and bottoms of drains everywhere in Singapore. Maybe one of you should go and look for this plant and supply them to the fish shops

Loh K L

[imported_brbarkey]

Ben,

Could it be yours are "stunted" riccia?


Loh K L

Loh, its very possible that stunted but I know it never looked like the pictures above.

[Daemonfly]

I've been searching for info on Liverworts. Asside from the Riccia versions, and Bladderwort (common ones in Aquaria) there looks to be many more versions that could be well suited for aquarium use. Nothing really on the market for aquariums, so it looks like the only sources would be plants sold for Terrariums or to just collect from the wild.

[budak]

ben, dwarfism (i.e. lines that are genetically programmed to be much smaller than the normal line) is a trait that crops up in many species of plants and animals. With Riccia fluitans being such as widespread species, immense variations are not surprising.

Daemonfly, the other liverwort common in aquaria is Pellia aka Monosolenium tenerum. Bladderworts, on the other hand, are not liverworts, but part of the flowering plants order.

[Daemonfly]

Hrm, guess I was wrong with that one.

Either way, I've seen quite a few liverworts that would look pretty good in an aquarium, as long as they could be submerged.