Cryptocoryne retrospiralis (Roxburgh) Kunth

Cryptocoryne retrospiralis grows mainly on the west coast of India, disjunct from C. crispatula but in the southwest of India together with C. spiralis. Not flowering specimens of C. retrospiralis are not easy to distinguish from C. spiralis as both have similar, stiff  leaves. The spathe however is totally different. The difference between C. retrospiralis and C. crispatula var. crispatula is very small, the main point are the markings inside the limb of the spathe being more line shaped in the latter. The terete leaves in C. retrospiralis (the chives form) are also found in C. crispatula. Though C. retrospiralis is known for more than 150 years, little is known about the variation in this species and its habitat.

^{Click on the picture to get the full image (ca 50 k)}

Locality of Cryptocoryne retrospiralis in the Malappuram district (Kerala state, India). photo te Beest	Close up of the riverbank with emersed growing plants in December. photo te Beest	Another close up of the river bank with C. retrospiralis. photo te Beest	Yet another locality with C. retrospiralis. photo te Beest
Habitat of C. retrospiralis in India. This plant has rather narrow leaves. coll. Bogner 1852 photo Bogner	The same habitat (as left) of C. retrospiralis. This very tiny form grows together with a Lagenandra sp. coll. Bogner 1852 photo Bogner	Another habitat of C. retrospiralis. The limb of the spathe is relative short. coll. Bogner 517 photo Bogner	Herbarium leaves of C. crispatula, C. albida and C. retrospiralis. Note that some petioles are folded. photo Jacobsen
C. retrospiralis has a dormant phase with terete leaves of ca. 5 -10 cm long (chives form). This is also known in C. crispatula var. crispatula and var. sinensis. culta Bastmeijer 1055 photo Bastmeijer	The terete leaves don't have a distinct petiole. Transverse sections of the top, middle and lower part of the leaf. culta Bastmeijer 1055 photo Bastmeijer	Flowering starts usually immediately when the plant get out of the dormant stage. The elderly leaves in the picture are typical terate. culta Blass s.n. photo Blass	A non flowering specimen, also showing the transition of terete. to 'normal' leaves. culta Kasselmann s.n. photo Kasselmann
C. retrospiralis has green, smooth leaves with a very prominent mid vein, exposed on the lower side of the leaf. culta Bastmeijer 1055 photo Bastmeijer	The plant grows very fast, in two months the pot is overcrowded and the leaves are up to 50 cm long and 1 cm wide. It may go dormant again after a few months! culta Bastmeijer 1055 photo Bastmeijer	Smooth green leaves without any purple. culta Jacobsen 2971 photo Jacobsen	The limb of the spathe of C. retrospiralis (same plant left). culta Jacobsen 2971 photo Jacobsen
The limb of the spathe of C. retrospiralis  with more or less rounded dark spots. culta Jacobsen 3130 photo Jacobsen	C. retrospiralis has rounded spots on the limb (as have C. crispatula var. sinensis, while the var's balansae and crispatula have line shaped markings on the limb. culta Jacobsen s.n. photo Jacobsen	The limb may start opening from the top ... culta Bastmeijer 1055 photo Bastmeijer	... or somewhat lower as is the case here..  culta Bastmeijer 1055 photo Bastmeijer
The top of the limb may end in an oblique position. culta Bastmeijer 1055 photo Bastmeijer	The spotted inner side of the limb. culta Bastmeijer 1055 photo Bastmeijer	More spots. culta Bastmeijer 1055 photo Bastmeijer	Opened kettle of C. retrospiralis. Note the prominent constriction in the wall and the depressions (alveoli) opposite to the male flowers. culta Bastmeijer 1055 photo Bastmeijer
Drawing in Engler (1920) of C. retrospiralis. Note again the extreme spiraled limb of the spathe.	Drawing in te Beest (1998) of C. retrospiralis.	De Wit (1990) gives a picture of a rather broad leafed C. retrospiralis. The limb of the spathe is strongly spirally twisted. drawing Ike Zewald	Distribution of C. retrospiralis on mainland Asia.

C. retrospiralis is because of its seasonal character not well suited for the aquarium.
The dormant phase is probably an adaptation to submersed conditions at (very) low light levels. When the water goes down and the plants become emersed, they hurry up.
In emersed culture, the dormant phase is from (mid -) end summer to February. In this phase they easily stand at 15 degree centigrade in wintertime. Off March, April they boost and accept full sun with temperatures up to 35 degree. It is not a rainforest type as you see.
C. retropiralis is offered frequently. Very probably all these plants are actually C. crispatula var. flaccidifolia, which is very suitable for the aquarium.

For reference to the other plants and the literature see the page on the crispatula group.

Jan D. Bastmeijer, June 2007