# Need a plant Id that's not a marcgravia



## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

I got this from another member at the last Mads meet.It's not a marcravia.He couldn't remember what it was,and I thought it was a marcgravia.He told me that it definitely wasn't.I mounted it like an epiphyte and it's taking off.


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

On another note,I just realized this is the 100,000 th thread.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

I'm of the opinion that he was wrong. That reeks of Marcgravia. It looks like Marcgravia rectiflora to me.

If it turns out to be something different, I'd love to get in line for a cutting.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Yes, that sir, is 99% positively a Marcgravia
he might have thought it was one of the new Ficus species like sp. Borneo in culture, but the morphology of that SCREAMS Marcgravia.


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

I have rectiflora and don't think that's what it is.The stems & leaves are more rigid and the growth pattern seems different.It kind of fans out as opposed to the way rectiflora grows.I asked him if he can weigh in on this.Hopefully he can if he has the time.He is a knowledgeable plant guy and usually throws plant names at you so fast it makes your head spin.He was so sure it wasn't a marc that I believe him,but also why I'd like to know what it is.


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## stu&shaz (Nov 19, 2009)

Lou,I'm definitely the least knowledgeable here, and utterly defer to the other posters. I thought it was the ficus from Borneo,I've just been up and looked at a cutting /young plant I'm growing on,which makes me doubt myself even further,each leaf has a little spike (sheath ,I'm not sure of the correct word) at the base where the leaf joins the stem,your's doesn't appear to have this? I don't have rectiflora only sitentsis and umbulata. Doug/Frogparty(is it Jason?) you are both very sure it's a marcgravia,can you tell me how you are identifying it please,what are the features you are looking at.

Lou sorry if this slightly derails,but I thought I might learn something and possibly,you too ,its very very similar to what I have growing on. But I'm fairly convinced now I'm wrong,as your pictures are not showing quite what i'm seeing.

many thanks

Stu


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

stu&shaz said:


> Lou,I'm definitely the least knowledgeable here, and utterly defer to the other posters. I thought it was the ficus from Borneo,I've just been up and looked at a cutting /young plant I'm growing on,which makes me doubt myself even further,each leaf has a little spike (sheath ,I'm not sure of the correct word) at the base where the leaf joins the stem,your's doesn't appear to have this? I don't have rectiflora only sitentsis and umbulata. Doug/Frogparty(is it Jason?) you are both very sure it's a marcgravia,can you tell me how you are identifying it please,what are the features you are looking at.
> 
> Lou sorry if this slightly derails,but I thought I might learn something and possibly,you too ,its very very similar to what I have growing on. But I'm fairly convinced now I'm wrong,as your pictures are not showing quite what i'm seeing.
> 
> ...




Not a derail at all Stu. This is how we learn  I'm not sure either which is why I posted it.Do you have any pics of the ficus?I'd like to see it either way.


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## stu&shaz (Nov 19, 2009)

Thanks Lou,not yet,but I'll grab some for you,I need to nail an iso pic for you anyway so I'll nail both in a while,is it possible you could get a closer detail of your plant? Just a section of stem and leaves but fairly close up,back to back we might see some comparison,then the chaps can be pressganged into action. 

Bare with me,

Stu


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## Dart guy 16 (Jan 16, 2012)

I did not read all the comments (shame on me) that is rectiflora for sure, the plant has a little diversity. I have two clippings of it that are not identical


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## stu&shaz (Nov 19, 2009)

Hey Lou, here ya go

Overal picture of my Ficus from Borneo,nearly there time to grab some cuttings and finally get some in viv









Here's a detail of the upwards side of the leaf/stem so you can see those little "spikes" I was pondering,I don't know whether the tiny spots are characteristic,hell I just grow stuff










Finally a backside shot of the leaf,just for fun really,but these might also be characteristics for id such as the hairs on the stem ,again those "spikes" at the base of leaf,for some reason I have the world calix rattling around,no idea if that is correct though










Lou I have a great mate I don't think we ever see each other without someone whipping out a cutting,he gave me this. If the ID is wrong we can blame him

take care

Stu


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## Dartfrogfreak (Jun 22, 2005)

I definitely disagree with what you were told by the person who gave it to you. Thats a Marcgravia. It may be rectiflora, it may not. Marcgravias colors and even growth habits are quite dependent on the conditions they are grown in. It may be one of the unidentified spp floating around the hobby. Which some of those may or may not be rectiflora. 

I do definitely see similarities to the Ficus as well. However, First thoughts are the differences in in the leaf surfaces. The Marcgravia has a smooth glossy leaf. Where as the Ficus looks to have a hairy, flat colored leaf. 



Todd


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

Definitely different,but very cool.I would like to get my hands on some of that  

My stem is flat almost square and smooth with no hair.

I will try and get some closer pics tonight.I have to do some frog room work.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Stu, I'm sorry, but I'll admit I am not enough of a plant guy to give you the differences you are looking for. All I know is, I see yours, and I see a Ficus. I see Lou's, and it's going to take some serious convincing to tell me it's not a Marcgravia.


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## Sammie (Oct 12, 2009)

oddlot said:


> Definitely different,but very cool.I would like to get my hands on some of that
> 
> *My stem is flat almost square* and smooth with no hair.
> 
> I will try and get some closer pics tonight.I have to do some frog room work.


While it doesn't prove anything, both _Marcgravia sintenisii_ and _M.umbellata_ has that square stem.
_M. sintenisii_ "fans out" in the same way as well.


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## stu&shaz (Nov 19, 2009)

Pumilo said:


> Stu, I'm sorry, but I'll admit I am not enough of a plant guy to give you the differences you are looking for. All I know is, I see yours, and I see a Ficus. I see Lou's, and it's going to take some serious convincing to tell me it's not a Marcgravia.


Doug no apologies,you guys between you will come up with something and as Lou just said earlier,I think we are all going to learn a bit here,which is fabulous
(Anyway as i've decided to hijack two of Lou's threads tonight by total co incidence,you might well have the expertise on the iso}

Lou thankyou ,if I was closer it would happen,but by the sound of the earlier post's it has made it's way over to you guys anyway,good luck.

Dart frog freak thanks too,I've never spotted the hairs before looking at this picture,good ol ' macro lenses

best

Stu


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

For the sake of comparison,I cut a 2 year old piece of marc rectiflora out of another tank to take side by side pics.I love to plant things and make them grow,but I'm not a major plant guy that can tell you what everything is.The cut piece is the one on the right with my fat thumb on it.I have to say they do look similar,but I do see some differences( I don't know that they mean anything).

First, note the one on the left has a very flat squarish stem,almost ridged on the edges.The Marc on the right,not the same.

Second,The leaves appear tighter packed and not as offset as the marc on the right.

third,the leaves on the Marc appear to be pointier.

Both are in high humidity,bright light tanks.I don't claim to be a plant expert,these are just some observations.If I was an expert,I wouldn't have this post,which is why it's here.




























If it is a Marc,I was told I mounted it wrong,because it is mounted high as an epiphyte and not in soil.There is zero dirt and if for nothing else shows it can be planted/mounted this way if it is.


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## Dart guy 16 (Jan 16, 2012)

I have my Marc mounted with just a little sphagnum at the base, it took a bit but then it took off with new growth


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## ggazonas (May 11, 2008)

i bought that plant from NE Herpetoculture and it was sold to me as a type of columnea. I don't remember the exact species of variety, but i'm pretty sure it was columnea.

If its margravia thats great, becuase i know i didn't purchase that.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I'd bet dimes to dollars that's not a Columnea


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## ggazonas (May 11, 2008)

frogparty said:


> I'd bet dimes to dollars that's not a Columnea


thats fine if its not, but thats what i remember purchasing it as.


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## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

The plant looks like the juvenile leaves of an unidentified Marcgravia sp. that I obtained from Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens a few years ago (the leaves and internode spacing were considerably smaller than M. rectiflora--even in lower light). I sold/traded/gave away a number of cuttings to people in the PDF community. There were three Marcgravia spp. in their collection, two of which were not identified. I lost my main plants in the greenhouse before I could bloom them to get a proper identification. It's not a real problem to grow Marcgravia with a little sphagnum around the roots--as long as the sphagnum stays moist it should be fine...


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

RarePlantBroker said:


> The plant looks like the juvenile leaves of an unidentified Marcgravia sp. that I obtained from Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens a few years ago (the leaves and internode spacing were considerably smaller than M. rectiflora--even in lower light). I sold/traded/gave away a number of cuttings to people in the PDF community. There were three Marcgravia spp. in their collection, two of which were not identified. I lost my main plants in the greenhouse before I could bloom them to get a proper identification. It's not a real problem to grow Marcgravia with a little sphagnum around the roots--as long as the sphagnum stays moist it should be fine...


Thanks for the info.I can accept that.After doing the side by side comparison it looks like a Marc,but I agree it's not rectiflora for the reasons I posted and you confirmed.The spacing was one thing that I noticed and the leaves too.Thanks!


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