# Plant ID needed



## hexentanz (Sep 18, 2008)

I recently asked a local breeder about a plant in some of his tanks. I had seen it in so many tanks before, but could never find a name for the beauty.

He wrote back and informed me he did not know of the name but could bring me a plant to the next show.

I am wondering if anyone on here can give a name to a face - http://www.zwerggeckos.com/Lygodact...turatus/Lygodactylus_picturatus_terrarium.jpg 

It is the plant in the bottom with medium green leaves and light green middle section.


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## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

Hello Maureen,

Not 100% without a closer pic., but looks to me like _Xantheranthemum igneum_.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Could also be Ruellia makoyana...mine looks identical to that..... but hard to say without seeing the bottom, or at least a close up....

Alasdair ~ where is the Xantheranthemum igneum from? I couldn't even find any good pics of it, just dried herbarium specimens.....looks like a neat plant


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## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

Josh, 

The _Xantheranthemum igneum_ is from Peru (pseudonym is _Chameranthemum igneum_). I purchased one a couple of years ago from Ecuagenera at a show in Miami, but it didn't last too long. I believe DeRoos or one of the other Dutch tissue-culture companies is working with this plant.

I didn't even think about _Ruellia makoyana_. Have you been able to grow that in a vivarium? I found that (at least growing outside), that they like a fair amount of air movement.

I guess the right ID for this depends on the obverse color of the leaves and the flowers. The _X. igneum_ has a yellow/green underside, and white flowers. While _R. makoyana_ has a purple leaf obverse and purple flowers.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

For me the Ruellia makoyana has been kinda a weed, it seems to thrive in damp to even wet tank conditions, as long as the leaves dry off. I usually root the cuttings in water and stick them into the ground, they take off almost immediately. The only problem is you have to prune it all the time.....and they don't usually flower because of this.


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