Staurogyne Sp. ‘Porto Velho’ has only been known in the hobby in Europe for a few years, and it is still quite rare. This plant from South America grows moderately, develops a creeping growth habit under water and forms narrow lanceolate leaves with a long pointed tip. Its submerged form is greyish-green with a slight purple hue. This attractive carpet-forming plant needs good lighting and a good CO₂ and nutrient supply.

In Contrast to Staurogyne repens (see that plant’s profile), Staurogyne sp. ‘Porto Velho’ is only rarely cultivated in Europe at the moment. In the USA and Japan, however, it is one of the most popular new foreground plants. It is a very attractive, versatile plant and will very probably remain popular for many years to come. Quite obviously, Staurogyne sp. ‘Porto Velho’ is identical with the aquarium plant sold as Hygrophila sp. ‘Roraima’, which probably originates from another import. The Brazilian federal states Rondonia (with the capital Porto Velho) and Roraima both are situated in the western part of the country. Thus it is highly probable that these plants, originally collected there, belong to the same species that is distributed in both these states.

• Family Name : Acanthaceae
• Origin : South America
• Height : 2-6”
• pH : 5-7
• Temperature : 20-30°C