# Another Plant ID?



## Piyoteru (Apr 17, 2014)

I've had this plant for a long time, but I still can't figure out what it is. Several months ago I bought this stem plant from PetBarn labeled as "Pink Baby Tears". At first it looked like a bacopa, with large oval/round leaves that come protrude from the stem in pairs (so it's like two leaves, space, two leaves etc). The leaves had a faint pinkish tinge but was mostly light green. You can see the old leaves in image 3. All the new growth looks different though, it's less oval like and more narrow. It doesn't look like the bacopa pictures I have seen. Anyone have any idea what species of plant this could be? Someone elsewhere suggested Ludwigia.

It's so bothersome when pet stores don't properly label plants. There are at least 3 different kinds of aquatic plants called "Pink Baby Tears".

1.http://i61.tinypic.com/1zvwc5l.jpg
2.http://i62.tinypic.com/10rpd1f.jpg
3.http://33.media.tumblr.com/a321439e0838d59efa2fd4b0526a4c1b/tumblr_nc2kcb6Yec1qe32rco5_1280.jpg
4.http://33.media.tumblr.com/d46fc1e52e38f1a7882266be0ed517eb/tumblr_nc2kcb6Yec1qe32rco1_1280.jpg

Thanks!


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## BettaMummy87 (Jul 26, 2014)

I'd say a lindernia, as I know they can root out into the water like in one of those pics. Maybe a lindernia rotundiflora?










There is also a varigated form of the lindernia, which may be why it had that pink tinge you mentioned.  
Lindernia sp. 'India'


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## Piyoteru (Apr 17, 2014)

It certainly looks a bit like Lindernia sp. 'India', though after digging around a bit- the young growth on my plant is much more narrow leafed than this variety. The veins on the leaves are arranged differently, Linderna leaves have a series of veins running from the base to the end of the leaf. My plant has leaves with one slightly thicker vein through the middle of the leaf and smaller veins branching of it (kind of like how people normally draw a leaf).

Thanks for the input though!


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

First thing that came to mind for me was Moneywort. Have you compared to that?


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

How big or small is this plant?

EDIT: last pic isn't loading for me >.<


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## Piyoteru (Apr 17, 2014)

I have looked at moneywort (I refer to it as a bacopa), though I'm not sure if there is a pink variety- a search hasn't turned up anything for me. There is a plant called Bacopa Floribunda that is native to my country and is sold as "Pink Baby Tears"- but there are so few pictures of it and it's sold from one website with an intense crimson colour. Here's where I found it: https://www.livefish.com.au/pink-baby-tears-bunch.html
It could be this plant, just looking very different in my tank's conditions. The pink was very faint, even at the store I bought it from. 

It's odd because in the same store there was Pink Baby Tears, Baby Tears and Moneywort being sold separately. My Pink Baby Tears are identical to the "Baby Tears", besides the faint pink. Moneywort had much rounder, slightly thicker and greener leaves. "Baby Tears" as a stem plant normally refers to Bacopa Monnieri, but Moneywort is also Bacopa Monnieri... What a big naming mess. I could try nab both Moneywort and Baby Tears from the store when I have the chance and compare them... One or all of them must be misnamed. Ah. I just remembered that there's also a plant just vaguely labelled "bacopa" there as well. It's a taxonomic nightmare.

@lilnaugrim The last photo is a shot from above the tank- the photo seems to load fine for me. The plant size varies, but the stems will pretty much grow to the surface of the tank. Leaf size goes from an inch (old leaves) to half a centimeter in length- so most of the leaves are quite small and narrow. I'll try to get a reference photo when it's lights on in the tank.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

OK now my head hurts


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Where did you get that Baby Tears is a Bacopa I'm wondering?

There are two forms, Dwarf Baby Tears (Hemianthus callitrichoides) and regular Baby Tears (Hemianthus micranthemoides) or a.k.a Pearl Grass. Your plant is neither, they don't get as large of leaves but they can be tall. HC needs CO2 whereas HM is good to have but not over necessary if you have proper lighting and nutrient requirements, but it will grow better with CO2.


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## Piyoteru (Apr 17, 2014)

It's just what some places call it. I don't like the use of the name- they should just stick to it's proper taxonomic name to avoid mixing things up. 

From these places: 
http://www.aquamania.co.uk/product.asp?P_ID=1105&numLanguageID=1
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10-x-Bac...water-live-aquarium-fish-plants-/220944642343
http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Bacopa_monnieri
http://www.herbcyclopedia.com/item/bacopa-monnieri-the-baby-s-tears-2
http://www.aquariumindustries.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Baby-Tears.pdf


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Yeah that's really strange since, as I noted before, we already have two "Baby Tears" plants. I'm not picking on you or anything, I just find it strange. Anyway, from my little research, it does still look like Bacopa Monnieri


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## Piyoteru (Apr 17, 2014)

I wonder if it's a regional thing with "baby tears". 

It does look like Bacopa Monnieri- I just need to figure out where the pink leaves come in. I found a power point presentation that mentioned it can have leaves ranging from green to red. So it's very possible it's what my plant is.

"A bog plant that grows OK underwater, background or filler plant. Pale green-to-red fleshy leaves, up to 16" tall stem. 68-78F. Makes good background or side plant, in groups. " from said presentation (it's a download off google). The description of the leaf variation matches up. It might not be a reliable source, but it's the only place that's mentioned the change in color for bacopa monnieri.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Yeah, a lot of plants can have a red on them depending on the situation they are in. Ludwigia Broad leaf can range from green to yellow to orange to red depending on the lighting and the nutrients in the tank.


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## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

Rotala rotundifolia?

It looks like this emersed:









and this submersed:


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## Piyoteru (Apr 17, 2014)

One of the major suppliers in Australia for PetBarn does offer Rotala Rotundifolia as "Pink Baby Tears" 
http://www.aquariumindustries.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Baby-Tears_Pink.pdf

Now that I look at it- it does look _a lot_ like it at well. The image of the rotundafolia on this page is pretty much exactly how the leaves are now.
http://www.ullits.org/plantesalg/plantesalg.html 

I think we might have a match here. I didn't think it was rotala because in most pictures I saw had 3 leaves from the stem at each point- whereas mine had 2. I did some reading and it seems that it can vary from 2 and 3 depending on the stem.


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## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

In your second picture I see a few leaf trios. Maybe it's still transitioning?


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