Cryptocoryne beckettii

{{Short description|Species of aquatic plant}} {{Speciesbox |image= Bec x B92 383.jpg |genus = Cryptocoryne |species = beckettii |authority = Thwaites ex Trimen. (1885) }}

'''''Cryptocoryne beckettii''''', also known as '''Beckett's water trumpet''', is a plant [[species]] belonging to the [[Araceae]] [[genus]] ''[[Cryptocoryne]]''.

==Distribution== Sri Lanka, found in freshwater springs and rivers.

(It is not clear which plants sold in the [[aquarium]] trade under this name are the true [[species]]. Probably due to aquarists C. beckettii is now found in Florida {{Citation needed|date=April 2021}} and probably other suitable spots in [[North America]] {{Citation needed|date=April 2021}}.

==Description== ''Cryptocoryne beckettii'' is a perennial, rhizomatous, herb that can grow as an emergent or as a submerged aquatic. It has basal leaves with elongate, sheathing petioles up to {{convert|15|cm|in|round=0.5|abbr=on}} long. The blades are glabrous, ovate to narrowly ovate, {{convert|3|to|9|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|1|to|3.5|cm|in|abbr=on}} wide. The blade's upper surface is green to dark green or brown and marbled to red-brown, and the lower surface is generally red-tinged, to more or less brownish or green. The leaves have an acute to acuminate apex, entire or sometimes undulate leaf margins, and conspicuously red veins. Submerged plants usually have larger, thinner leaves. The rarely seen inflorescences are short-peduncled with a {{convert|4|to|12|cm|in|adj=mid|-long}} spathe. The greenish-brown limb is twisted, upright to somewhat recurved, and narrowly ovate in shape, generally {{convert|0.5|to|1.2|cm|in|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|1.5|-|3|cm|in|abbr=on}} long. The spadix is typically {{convert|1.0|cm|in|abbr=on}} long (Rosen, 2000).

* Rosen, D.J. 2000. ''Cryptocoryne beckettii'' (Araceae), a new aquatic plant in Texas. Sida 19(2): 399-401.

==Cultivation== {{Unreferenced section|date=April 2021}} Good substrate and benefits from additional CO<sub>2</sub>. One of the best crypts for the [[aquarium]]. Slow growing and may take several weeks to settle in.

Probably the oldest cultivated crypt. It grows very easily in even hard water. The substrate should be a mixture of sand, clay and peat.

It prefers a quiet situation and not too intense a light. It normally spreads and multiplies by vegetative (stolon/rhizome) growth. It can suffer from [[Cryptocoryne#Crypt melt|crypt melt]] and seems to dislike being moved about.

==Forms== ''petchii'' is a smaller form with slightly fluted [[leaves]]. *[http://www.tropica.dk/productcard_1.asp?id=108A Tropica]

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071015215323/http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/Cryptocoryne/Gallery/bec/bec.html Crypts pages illustrations ''C. beckettii''] *[http://www.wschowa.com/abrimaal/araceum/cryptocoryne/beckettii.htm Illustrations] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120207204756/http://nas.er.usgs.gov/taxgroup/plants/docs/cryp_beckettii.htm Nonindigenous Aquatic Species USA]

[[Category:Cryptocoryne|beckettii]] [[Category:Aquatic plants]]