Java Fern
Here are the variations I've been able to determine and some I have experience growing:
Microsorum Pteropus True Form:
Long dark green leaves that are trilobate when mature. The longest frond I have ever measured on mine was just under 16". Grows slowly, but faster under higher light/CO2 conditions. Grows much faster than a slow grower like anubias, but like anubias, the older leaves collect a bit of algae on their way out. I have also seen mature trilobate plants being listed as "Malaysian Java Fern" but as far as I can tell they are just the mature true form.
M. pteropus var. 'Windelov':
Probably the most visually different than the true form. It grows a bit faster for me and reaches about 8" tall. Tropica.com does not have info. on this plant's origin other than: "In 1991, Tropica Aquarium Plants of Denmark discovered two new varieties of Microsorum pteropus, "Java fern", both in plant cultures originating from a collection assembled in Java. The plants probably existed in the original plant material and must be assumed to represent a natural mutation. Large numbers of these new plants are unlikely to exist in the wild as no other discoveries of these varieties have been recorded either before or since." I have heard rumor there is a dwarf 'Windelov' out there, but I suspect it might be due to different growing conditions and not really a different variation. Has anyone out there run across this?
M. pteropus var. 'Tropica':
This grows slower and shorter for me (it gets less light because of it's position in the tank). The leaves are a lighter green color than the true form. The plantlets produced from the leaf tips are not as viable as the other var. and do not develop the typical "Tropica" leaf edge. I usually keep the plantlets trimmed off all my Java ferns, but often Tropica's just sort of die off on their own, or I end up trimming the older leaves off before anything really develops. Tropica.com says "Microsorum pteropus 'Tropica' grows fast and is bigger than M. pteropus. Highly distinctive, with dentate leaves. Older leaves are sometimes lobate (up to 5 cm lobes)". I have not seen any lobate leaf growth on mine, but this may also be due to the light issue. I have recently moved a piece to a better position, we'll see what happens...
M. pteropus var. 'Philippine':
This is the slowest grower of all the var. for me, but well worth the wait. It has narrower darker green leaves and mine tends to stay shorter, and not grow as full as the true form, although I expect it would do better with different conditions. I'm not sure what "hammered out leaves" are, as it is described every where. I think of the leaf pattern as if you had taken a sheet of aluminum foil, rolled it up into a tight ball, then tried to flatten it back out. An interesting bit from Tropica.com: "It is tolerant of salt, and originated from the island of Panay in the Philippines, where it grows right out in the tidal river mouth and thrives both below and above water." It would be interesting to see if there is a different growth pattern with some salt added. I would try, but my cardinal tetras would protest by floating upside down.
M. pteropus var. 'Undulata':
This is the fastest grower of all my J. ferns, and is one of my favorites. The leaves are a very bright light green, almost translucent compared to the true form. Some of the new growth on the leaf tips has a purple/redish tint that I have not been able to get to show up on camera. My guess is that 'Undulata' and 'red' are much more closely related to each other than other variations are, as they both originate in Thailand and seem to have a similar growth pattern. The leaves are considerably wider than the true form (approx. 2in. at the widest part) and has ruffled edges. Each individual leaf seems to be a bit more delicate, have a shorter life span, and is prone to tearing like a sheet of paper if you are not careful when messing around in the tank. I have learned to have no remorse in hacking down this plant during regular pruning though, it always seems to spring back quickly. I have not seen any lobate leaf growth but I expect it sooner or later. Plantlets on the leaf tips grow fast and often and seem to be exactly the same as the parent.
M. pteropus var. 'red':
This plant grows at about the same rate as the true form, but much much bigger. If I don't selectively trim it down, the long trilobate leaves will grow over two feet long and stick out of my 24" deep tank. Like 'Undulata', 'red' has a ruffled leaf edge but to a slightly lesser degree, it is also not as wide and a little bit thicker than 'Undulata's' leaves. Of course the most unique part of 'red' is the red leaf tips on new growth. Where 'Undulata' produces light green translucent new growth, 'red' produces a very deep red/rust color then fades to brownish then yellow then a light green as the leaf fully matures. It is a very hard color pattern to describe because all the colors are on the same leaf at the same time, progressing from red at the tip to the green at the base. The one thing that detracts from this plant it that when a leaf reaches it's full length and there is no more new growth on the tip, you have a short period of time where the red fades out to brown completely and most of the leaf is still somewhat yellow/green and looks like it is dying. Once this stage passes, the leaf completely fills in light green.
M. pteropus var. 'Narrow Leaf' (possibly M. brassii):
My 'Narrow Leaf' grows quite a bit shorter and a bit faster, than the true form, the leaves are a lighter green color, but stay only a few cm wide. I have not seen any lobate leaf growth, nor have I run across any examples. Maybe some one else out there has..? The best examples of this plant I have seen have been grown on an arching piece of driftwood with the plant attached to the underside of the arch so the leaves grow out and around the wood towards the light.
M. pteropus var. 'Dwarf Narrow Leaf': (possibly M. pteropus var. 'minor' or 'minima')
It is definitely a dwarf variation, only reaching a few inches tall, perhaps a bit taller with more light. Mine is slightly darker green than 'Narrow leaf' but the leaves are about the the same width. The leaf tip plantlets seem to reproduce true as well, but I have not grown any out yet. I find this to be an excellent choice for attaching to a small flat stone then putting it under and around the base of taller plants like amazon swords where direct light is blocked by lots of large leaves.
A note from Julie Zeppieri from whom I obtained this variation:
I was given a start of this plant quite awhile back by Gary Lange (of Rainbowfish fame). I believe he got it from Karen Randall...
Yes, this dwarf form does reproduce true to form by daughter plants as well as by rhizome divisions. I have found it hardier than any other form, including the original one -- practically grows in the dark, ala Java Moss. I have even had good luck with it as a semi-floating plant!
M. pteropus var. 'Needle Leaf':
This variation is very similar to 'Narrow Leaf' except that the leaves stay narrower, thinner, and a bit darker green, almost like long 8-10in long strips of shredded paper flowing in the current. This is a new one for me so I don't have much experience to relate, but based on what I've seen so far, I expect it to be more or less like 'Narrow Leaf' in it's habits.
M. pteropus var. 'Latifolia':
Broad Leaf Java Fern? I have no information on this plant. 'Latifolia' translated from Latin is literally lati=broad and foli=leaf.
M. pteropus var. 'zosteriformis':
I have no information on this plant. Based soley on the name, "zosteriformis" means something like "formed or shaped like Zostera". Zostera is the genus for various species of marine eel grasses which have long thin tape like appearances. In Greek, the word "zoster" means "girdle" or "belt". My guess is that this name is describing a Java Fern with long thin leaves - perhaps another nomenclatural candidate for 'Narrow Leaf' or 'Needle Leaf'?
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