Anubias flower!!!! (or is it?)

[7Enigma]

Happy Chrismahanaquanzaka everyone!

I was getting ready to take little Em to visit her family for the holidays and did a quick once over of the tank. I was happy to see another leaf for my anubias going up, and almost looked right past it. By pure dumb luck, the shoot is directly behind a large new anubias leaf, to the point where you can only see the stem of the "leaf".

I had to use a pipet (see pic) to hold the new leaf off to the side so I could get a better look. Let me just tell you I am completely amazed I got a shot of this. It required me to manually focus with one hand, while holding the pipet to keep the leaf from blocking the shot, while steadying myself against a chair. I bet I couldn't get that shot if I tried 5 more times!

Anyways here's the shot:

So I'm hoping it eventually flowers and doesn't just stay as a bud, but we will have to see. For those that have had flowers previously how long from bud to flower to death of the flower time wise? I'm hoping with all the traveling the next day or 3 I won't miss it.

Also I'm wondering what finally caused the flowering? I have had this plant in my tank since March 06', and while its grown quite a bit (for a slow grower) I've never seen it even attempt a flower. Here's why I'm asking though:

About a month or two ago the single anubias was getting too large for the space it occupied. I then cut a small section of a splitting rhizome (it kind of turned on itself and the new growth was much smaller). This piece has only produced nana-sized leaves as opposed to the typical large (barteri?) leaves the main plant has created. Now I'm wondering if by splitting they are "sensing" each other and have fertilized or created a condition where they are more prone to send up flowers for pollination? Or is it just dumb luck?

Anyways I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

Em's all set!

 

[Purrbox]

Don't worry, the flowers usually last at least a couple of weeks to a month. You should have plenty of time to view it once it opens. I believe that it took some where between one to two weeks for the flower to go from initial bud to open.

 

[joannde]

Must be the season - I got a flower today too !
Happy Holidays

 

[Zagz]

Congratulations on the flower bloomings. What a cute picture of Em, I love the saying on the bib!

 

[7Enigma]

So a couple days ago the "flower" started to unfold. Here's what I have (did a big trim so I can actually see it now):

What am I looking at here? Is this to become a flower? Thanks.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

That is the flower.

Very nice too. was wondering what they looked like when a Bala Shark wasn't eating them.

This was one of the better shots I got of a flower.. You can expect the bottom to open up a bit more.

 

[flushingfish]

Wow I have one of those too. It hasn't opened up yet but now i know what I have to look forward to.

 

[Purrbox]

That's the flower all right. Congrats!

 

[7Enigma]

LOL, I'm so ignorant to aquatic flowers I was expecting it to look more "flowery".

 

[Purrbox]

As a point of reference, I've always thought that Anubias blooms have a striking resemblance to Calla Lily Blooms. I believe that there is another terrestrial plant that they look even more similar to, but I can't think of the name right of hand. So I guess it's just a matter of the flowers that you happen to be familiar with.

 

[zenkatydid]

are you thinking of spathyphillum? they can actually be grown submerged, albeit slowly.

 

[Purrbox]

That's the one!! Thanks! Spathyphillum. You know, I don't think I actually knew the name of this plant before, unless it's got another common name.

 

[fish_4_all]

Is a really nice flower, hopefully if I ever manage to get it to grow emersed I will be bale to fertilize those flowers and get seed.

Gotta be doing something right, maybe it was a male offshoot that cut and that caused it or maybe it is just lower temps. I wish mine would do that but it is more interested in putting off new rhizome than flowering.

 

[7Enigma]

Wizzard~Of~Ozz,

I am rather suprised that none of my fish have gone after the flower. They love to pick at new things I put in the tank, and I would assume that flower would be awful tasty (maybe once it ripens). In particular I would assume my BN pleco would eat it in a single sitting.

zenkatydid,

I knew I recognized the anubias flower before, that is exactly what I was thinking it looked like as well. So here's a new question:

What conditions are required for pollination? Do 2 plants need to flower at the same time (both releasing and recieving pollen), or can they release pollen-like molecules into the water without having to first send up their own flower?


I guess I was hoping for something a bit more delicate/colorful. I should have known better with this tank of a flower.

 

[Purrbox]

In order to get pollination, you need to have two separate flowers that are a few days apart in age and above water. Unlike with some plants, an Anubias Flower can't self pollinate since the male and female parts of the flower aren't active at the same time.

 

[7Enigma]

Well I definitely won't be having that happen. Also I was surprised that these flowers cannot pollinate submerged? Seems like that would make it easier since the pollen could be cycled around the tank.

 

[fish_4_all]

I don't know that they couldn't. If oyu have the flowers timed right and they are releasing pollen to a receptive female flower then why not? I don't know how the seeds would develop but I would actually bet that fertilization does occur.

 

[7Enigma]

Ha, so earlier I posted how I was surprised that the flower had yet to be nipped at. Yesterday the tank lights came on and what do I see, a chunk taken out of the left side of the stamen-like thing.