English: Temple plant; Starhorn; Giant hygro.
Synonyms: Nomaphila corymbosa; Nomaphila stricta.
Region: Southeast Asia , Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, India; introduced in USA, Mexico.
Habitat: aquatic; emergent, surviving long periods fully submerged; prefers well-lit situationa, nutrient-rich water and compost, additional CO2; adaptable to a variety of water conditions.
Use: tropical aquariums; useful for absorbing ammonium and nitrates and helping to fight algal growth.
BotanyHerb; riparian; fast-growing
Flowers: purple; scented.
Leaves: lower drop when emerged; red, siamensis compacta and many others, that seem to be mainly ecological variants, colour variation depends upon illumination, and the amount of iron available.