3 types of hairgrass?

[plantz]

Heard from geoffrey that there are 3 types of hairgrass. 1 very short, less than an inch. The others 2-3inchs and the very long one. Can someone clarify the 3 types. And where to get the less than 1 inch ones? Teo's shortest is the 2-3inches ones.

Hope we can learn from these.

Thks geoffrey.

[budak]

Actually, there are hundreds of plants in the genus Eleocharis, with acicularis, parvus and vivipara being just three species commonly seen in LFS. But I am sure there are dozens of other species which look almost like these three species. The only reliable way to tell them apart is to analyse their flowers and seed structures, which only trained botanists can do.

For aquaria purposes, even a single species like acicularis will exhibit different growth habits and heights depending on water/CO2/substrate/light conditions.

Go to MacRichie reservoir and you can find other hairgrasses (with their fine stems clearly marking them from real grasses) by the water's edge.

[msmurf]

hi budak, i have seen them too while jogging along the wooden platform. are those the long type of hairgrass.

besides, there are other plants too. if i see correctly, there should be moss, crypt etc.

i never actually stop to have a proper look cos was too tire then while on the way back ater the 4.8km route turning point. btw, you jog there often or you go there moonlighting. heee..........

[hwchoy]

Eh Budak, you forgot to mention your favourite tasty crunchy hairgrass :P

[budak]

oh yes, the crunchy water chestnut bulb you buy in the market is also known as Eleocharis dulcis (dulce meaning sweet).

Confusingly, another local vegetable is also known as the water chestnut, but this is the fruit of the floating Trapas natans, a totally unrelated plant.

Another reason why for proper ID purposes, only Latin names are useful.

[hwchoy]

I think only angmor calls the Trappa waterchestnut.

[juggler]

Budak: I see. So water chestnut is Eleocharis dulcis. I thought the water chestnut is Sagittaria and will grow into the arrowhead as shown in this Science Centre site http://www.science.edu.sg/ssc/vegeta...ismataceae.jsp

I bought some and tried in a pot and there's no arrow leaves at all. Only straight leaves like grass.

[geoffrey]

Yup, Budak is right about many more species within the Eleocharis genus.....I guess I phased it incorrectly to you, Plantz. Those 3 are the common ones we used.

[hwchoy]

[quote:fd4df626bc="juggler"]Budak: I see. So water chestnut is Eleocharis dulcis. I thought the water chestnut is Sagittaria and will grow into the arrowhead as shown in this Science Centre site http://www.science.edu.sg/ssc/vegeta...ismataceae.jsp

I bought some and tried in a pot and there's no arrow leaves at all. Only straight leaves like grass. [/quote:fd4df626bc]

wrong plant lah KF, Sagittaria is what we call "qi ku" (cantonese) which you plant in water during chinese new year. the Eleocharis dulcis is "ma ti" the stuff you find in Yeo Hiap Seng drink

[budak]

if you have an open top plant, both the sagitarria and the E. dulcis would be nice plants to grow. I tried growing the latter once using a tao huay container and it reached nearly 3 ft high in a few weeks. The stems break very easily though.

Another plant which could be grown in open top tanks is Oryza sativa. The seeds are available everywhere but i doubt any are viable though.

[hwchoy]

[quote:0b78422f30="budak"]Another plant which could be grown in open top tanks is Oryza sativa. The seeds are available everywhere but i doubt any are viable though.[/quote:0b78422f30]

naughty tell people what the sativa is

[juggler]

[quote:017b796641="hwchoy"][quote:017b796641="juggler"]Budak: I see. So water chestnut is Eleocharis dulcis. I thought the water chestnut is Sagittaria and will grow into the arrowhead as shown in this Science Centre site http://www.science.edu.sg/ssc/vegeta...ismataceae.jsp

I bought some and tried in a pot and there's no arrow leaves at all. Only straight leaves like grass. [/quote:017b796641]

wrong plant lah KF, Sagittaria is what we call "qi ku" (cantonese) which you plant in water during chinese new year. the Eleocharis dulcis is "ma ti" the stuff you find in Yeo Hiap Seng drink [/quote:017b796641]

Well - the corm look quite the same to me. So are the "qi ku" available during off-CNY period?
BTW - my Water Chestnut planted emersed in a pot has sprouted leaves reaching 1 ft high. I am going to put them in a container and plant them submersed soon.