by Jan D. Bastmeijer ~ 2016
Suwidji Wongso & Co.
 
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Cryptocoryne versteegii Engler var. jayaensis N. Jacobsen, Bastm., P.J. Edwards, R.J. Johns, N. Takah. & Wongso

(Document service)

The discovery of C. versteegii var. jayaensis has a remarkable history. Before exploiting the Grasberg gold from Papua, a botanical expedition found it in 1999. Roughly at the same time it appeared as the plant from Timika in an aquarium shop in Jakarta but nothing happened. The herbarium specimen was not noticed until 2005. Shortly after, Wongso and Takahashi went to Papua to find live plants again, and they succeeded!

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Mid 1999 there were unknown plants in the aquarium shops in Jakarta, Indonesia, said to come from 'Timika'. Any further report.
photo Wongso
Timika is known for the Freeport Grasberg gold and copper mine. See for more information and photos Wikipedia. As usual, before the start of the mining, an botanical investigation was made by scientists. March 1999. See their results...
On the plains there are streams, at high water inundating the fields...
photo Edwards et. al.
... where Edwards with his group found this Cryptocoryne.
photo Edwards et. al.
       
Apparently no dense shrubs and other vegetation on the loamy soil.
photo Edwards et. al.
The plant was determined by Peter Boyce as C. versteegii what is evident because of the spathe. And so it was sent to the various herbaria without any further notice...
photo Edwards et. al.
This specimen is deposed in the Bogor herbarium.
coll. Edwards 4055, herb. BO.
The Edwards 4055 collection remained unnoticed until 2004 and the link with the 'Timika' plant was made immediately. The leaves are totally different from C. versteegii var. versteegii but the spathe is exactly the same.
drawing V. G. Friis.
       
Wongso and Takahashi made their trip to Timika in May 2005. They were able to find a stream outside the Freeport plant, a strictly forbidden area today.
photo Wongso
A rapid in the stream...
photo Wongso
... with lots of the new Cryptocoryne.
photo Wongso
Seen from underwater.
photo Wongso
       
The same rapid.
photo Takahashi
A picture from the other side.
photo Wongso
An uprooted plant.
coll. SW0502
photo Wongso
Var. jayaensis is rooted in loamy mineral soil. Note the long rhizomes.
coll. SW0502
photo Wongso
       
A short, rough red limb with a bright yellow throat.
coll. SW0502
photo Wongso
More brownish.
coll. SW0502
photo Wongso
The yellow collar zone a bit higher on the limb of the spathe.
coll. SW0502, cult. B1122
The same plant as left.
coll. SW0502, cult. B1122
       
var. jayaensis (left) and var. versteegii (right) in the Copenhagen greenhouse
coll. SW0502 (l) and HBH1671/8 (r)
photo Jacobsen
The leaves have a rather long and soft blade in contrast with var. versteegii.
coll. SW0502, cult. B1122
Opened kettle of var. jayaensis
coll. SW0502, cult. B1122
Distribution of var. jayaensis (blue) and var. versteegii (red).
       

Cultivation is relative simple in a mineral soil with some peat litter or in beech tree litter.
Water parameters at the locality: pH 6.64, ORP 135mV, WT 26.2℃ (12:00), TDS 27ppm, EC 50uS/cm (Wongso)

Update January 2016

for more literature see the page for C. versteegii var. versteegii

Literature.

  • Jacobsen N., Bastmeijer J. D., Edwards P. J., Johns R. J., Takahashi N. & Wongso S., 2104. A new variety of Cryptocoryne
    versteegii
    (Araceae) from Irian Jaya Tengah, Indonesia. – Willdenowia 44: 385 – 391. (Document service).
 
 
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