# Marsilea hirsuta, underwater 4 leaf clover



## jmiz16 (Aug 12, 2004)

I think its a terarium plant that doesnt live to long underwater even in the best of tanks


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Search --> Marsilea

"Needs bright light, doesn't keep the 4-leaved appearance, different varieties"

This board is a great database... use it roud:


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## pineapple (Jan 22, 2004)

Marsilea sp. such as Crenata are easy to grow in my experience. Generally speaking, they have one or two leaves in submersed forms. The leaves are variable in size from a couple of centimeters up to 10cm but most often at the small end of the scale. Lighting: mid-high; CO2 helps but not essential. Very tolerant of various conditions. Here is a photo of some I have growing. The 3-leaf frond of this fern growing nearest the camera is the exception rather than the rule.

Andrew Cribb


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## Ibn (Nov 19, 2003)

It's basically a poor man's version of glosso. Not as demanding as glosso, since it doesn't require as much light, and gets to be a bit bigger than glosso.

Actually saw a mat of this stuff on Saturday while at Albany, but wasn't for sale.


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## Ultramouse (Feb 24, 2005)

I just put some in my tank, i currently have about 5 species of ground cover plants going on in different sections (no glosso though, i get fed up with the waste it traps). 

Whatever i dont like ill throw out, ive seen some very good tanks with this plant in them, and some bad ones too. 

While it is grown terrestrially, it does metamorph into an aquatic variety after a while, unfortunately losing it's four leafed appearance. But stays tighter than glosso, has its runners under the gravel so you can vacume easier, and doesn't reach for the lights every time it gets over shadowed.

ill post some pics once i get the tank grown in a bit.


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## rain- (Mar 29, 2004)

Here's my Marsilea hirsuta after arriving from Tropica:









Here's the same plant after living underwater for over 3 months, most of the leaves are single, but it grows also multiple lobed leaves. The old demersed leaves died soon after planting it, but then it started to grow new, submersed leaves.









I have had it now for 5 months and it is doing fine and growing. It seems to be somewhat demanding plant, but it likes my tank for some reason.


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## AaronT (Apr 11, 2004)

Marsilea quadrifolia will in fact keep 4 leaves submersed. All other species will not. I've seen it for sale in the pond section of my local garden center and also at Maryland Aquatic Nurseries.


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## rain- (Mar 29, 2004)

Well, I suppose it is possible that my Marsilea has been misidentified by Tropica, because this really does grow also multiple lobed leaves. Here's what they say about M. hirsuta in their website: "Marsilea hirsuta is a fascinating plant, usually delivered with leaves like a four-leaf clover. After a transitional period it develops different types of leaves, possibly a low form with single leaves like a large Glossostigma, or alternatively develop two, three or four-lobed leaves varying in height, depending on the growth conditions."


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## bigpow (May 24, 2004)

Mine grow fast, only one or two leaves per branch though
Looks similar to glosso, but less dense.
Same here, for some reason, they like my tank.


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