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Monosolenium

Monosolenium

Monosolenium tenerum

Monosoleniaceae
Foreground
Easy

Survival dashboard

Light

Medium

CO2

Optional

Ideal temp

18–26 °C

pH

5–7.5

Aquascaping

Max height5 cm
Growth rateMedium
Substrateany
OriginNorthern India, Nepal, East Asia, Hawaii
Price$

Trim schedule (hint)

Expect trimming about every 2–4 weeks depending on light and nutrients.

Description

Monosolenium tenerum is a dark green liverwort that entered the hobby in 2002 under the false name Pellia endiviifolia before bryologist S. R. Gradstein identified it the following year. It comes from warm-temperate to subtropical areas of northern India, Nepal, East Asia and Hawaii, where it grows on moist, shaded, nitrogen-rich ground. In the aquarium it forms low cushions of overlapping, rounded lobes only about 5 cm thick.

It is often compared to Riccia fluitans but larger and darker, and unlike that plant it does not float and stays on the ground. That has a catch, though: the submersed form does not attach itself to surfaces, so loose growth can spread and become a nuisance, and Flowgrow recommends tying it to rock with nylon line or tucking it among other plants. Flowgrow gives it a pH of 5 to 7.5 and a temperature span of 18 to 26 °C. It grows under very diverse conditions, is more robust and looks its best with good light and CO₂, and an ample phosphate supply helps.

Propagation is simply splitting off pieces and placing them elsewhere. It is often confused with the fern prothallium sold as Süsswassertang, and it works as a foreground or epiphyte on hardscape where it fills gaps with a soft, moss-like texture.

Source

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