
Anubias Species, Varieties & Cultivars
Compiled By: Julia, jfg5018
We all know it is incredibly hard to maintain a planted tank with our voracious goldies. There are very few aquatic plants that will actually thrive in our aquariums. Many of us yearn for a lusciously planted tank but are limited severely in our foliage selection. So why Anubias? Simply put, they are easy to maintain, require very minimal (if any!) additional nutrients and substrate, can survive in a plethora of water parameters, and are hardy enough to withstand curious goldfish tank mates.
Thankfully, there are actually many morphologically distinct species, varieties and cultivars of Anubias to chose from! Not only do Anubias range in sizes suitable for fore-, mid-, and background arrangements but leaf-shape, and even color! Beautiful, aqua-scaped freshwater aquariums aren't just for tropical community tanks!
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Angiosperms
Class: Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Aracea
Subfamily: Aroideae
Genus: Anubias
vSpecies: A. barteri, A. afzelli, A. gracilis, A. hastifolia, A. gigantea, A. gilletii, A. pynaertii, (A. frazeri: species status questionable)
uVariegata (Variegations, Varieties: var.)
wCultivar (produced in cultivation via selective breeding)
Facts:
Genus Characteristics: Roundish, typically heart-shaped (cordate), incised leaves.
Often compact growth.
Broad-leaved rosettes (leaves grow upward from a rhizome)
Found naturally only in West Africa (Sengal to Angola and Zaire)
Not all species of Anubias are suitable as aquarium plants
Price per rhizome (as of 8/2013) can range from $5 for common strains to up to $85 for rare cultivars!
Species, Varieties & Cultivars:
Notations: vindicates species; uindicates variegation; windicates cultivar
vAnubias afzelii
Long pointed, elliptical leaves w/ prominent lateral nerves
Reddish brown stems
Mid Ground Plant
vAnubias barteri
Compact Heart Shaped Anubias
One of the most common available.
One of the most vigorous and smallest species
uAnubias barteri var barteri
Grows up to 45 cm tall
Leaves tend to be slightly lighter in color
uAnubias barteri var. angustifolia (Formerly Anubias lanceolata)
Narrow leaves, height 10 to 15 cm
Common aquarium plant
Still often sold as Anubias laneolata within the hobby
Elongated leaves (5-9 times long as they are broad)
uAnubias barteri var. caladiifolia
One of the larger varieties
Height in aquarium 7 to 30 cm,
Leaves 10 to 23 cm long and 5-14 cm wide
uAnubias barteri var coffeefolia: Coffee Anubias
One of the naturally occurring varieties
Green leaves w/ creamed coffee to light lavender undersides
Reddish purple stems
Less tall, more spreading
Deep, indented veins causing ruffled appearance
uAnubias barteri var. glabra N.E. Brown (1901)
(Pseudonyms: minima, lanceolata)
Narrow-leafed (lanceolate), pointed tip leaves with short petioles
Leaves: 5 to 10 cm long, 2 to 5 cm wide
Flat, creeping rhizome up to 5mm in diameter
Height 10 to 15 cm
Propagation: Tends to not grow lateral shoots, cutting the rhizome induces the back part of the rhizome that remains in the substrate to generate a new shoot
KH: 212°, pH: 6.0 to 7.5, T: 22-28 °C
uAnubias barteri var. nana: Dwarf Anubias
Dwarf creeping with heart shaped leaves
Leaves are up to 6 cm long and 3 cm wide
Height: 5 to 10 cm
wAnubias barteri var. nana eyes
Cultivar of the regular size Anubias nana
They are considerably smaller than its larger counterpart
Ideal for smaller tanks or foreground
Grows horizontal rather than upward
Stays only a few inches tall
Flowers moderately, with soft whitish green blossoms
wAnubias barteri var. nana golden
Light green to golden leaves
Color does not disappear as the plant ages or propagates
wAnubias barteri var. nana petite
Smallest variegation of the Anubias
wAnubias barteri var. nana micro
Smallest cultivar of the Anubias
wAnubias barteri var. nana Stardust
Characterized by white, light veins and mottled, marbled leaves
wAnubias barteri var. nana Wrinkled Leaf
Unique wavy-shaped leaves
wAnubias barteri var. nana Marble: Marbled Nana
Characterized by marbled leaves due to genetic mutation in DNA
wAnubias barteri var. nana Snow White
Characterized by mottled, white leaves due to genetic mutation in DNA
Color does not disappear as the plant ages or propagates
wAnubias barteri var. nana Ghost
Characterized by young, white leaves that mature to a pale, green due to genetic mutation in DNA
Anubias congensis (obsoletesee A. heterophylla)
Anubias frazeri (species status questionable)
vAnubias gigantea: Giant Anubias
Large leaves and height
vAnubias gilletii
Initially heart shaped later with long rear fringes
Leaves are arrow shaped
Grows up to 25 to 40 cm
vAnubias gracilis
Soft, textured leaves
Unsuitable for vigorous fish
Triangular shaped, light green leaves
Least robust species commonly available
Often sold as A. hastifolia (completely different species)
Does not like constant uprooting and excessive handling
vAnubias hastifolia
BIG plant with long heart shaped leaves
Leaves up to 33 cm
vAnubias heterophylla Engler (1879)
Often commercially available as A. congensis (obsolete)
Leaves are variable in size (10 cm 38 cm long), narrow to broadly lanceolate
Slightly larger than A. barteri
Leaves are a slightly paler green
Grow tall in aquariums (up to 60 cm)
Good general adaptation
Propogation: Lateral shoots off the rhizome
D: 2, KH: 215°, pH: 6.0 to 7.5, T: 22-26 °C, AH: 3
Anubias minima (see Anubias barteri var. glabra, Anubias lanecolata)
Previously considered an autonomous species, reviewed by Crusio as a variety of A. barteri
vAnubias pynaertii
References:
Anubias by Karen A. Randall 1998 http://www.sfbaaps.org/articles/randall_01.html
Aquarium Plants Their Identification, Cultivation and Ecology by Dr. Karel Rataj and Thomas J. Horeman TFH 1977 ISBN 0-87666-455-9
Baensch Aquarium Atlas 2 by Hans A. Baensch and Dr. Rudiger Riehl Tetra Press 1993 ISBN 1-56465-114-2
Baensch Aquarium Atlas 3 by Hans A. Baensch and Dr. Rudiger Riehl Tetra Press 1996 ISBN 3-88244-053-8
The Genus Anubias SCHOTT (Aracea) by Wim Crusio Meded. Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen 79-14 (1979)
The International Plant Names Index http://www.ipni.org
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