Burttianthus caulescens

This exceptionally pretty little plant is an Araceae (Aroid) from the Malaysian part of Borneo and Brunei. It has a creeping rhizome with leaves up to 8 cm long. The leaves have a very prominent midrib and thick, raised veins along the leaf margins. The leaf color varies greatly depending on the amount of light the plant receives. In bright light, they are a rich, light green; in low light, they become dark green to almost black. The flower spikes are upright, about 5 cm long, and white with a yellow spadix.

Its unwieldy name, " Burttianthus caulescens, " stems from a comprehensive 2018 revision that genetically and morphologically classified a whole host of similar small aroids originating from Borneo. Previously, these had been so confusing that even the authors described the whole situation as "chaos."

It is primarily known in the aquarium hobby, usually under the names Aridarum sp. or Aridarum caulescens , although "known" might be the wrong word here. Aridarum are (still) absolute rarities and are very rarely offered for sale, mostly as aquatic plants for aquariums. They do not tolerate submerged cultivation (i.e., permanently underwater) for long, even with additional CO₂ dosing. Although they grow directly on the banks of streams and rivers, they are above water for almost the entire year. They occur on bare rock, often in locations exposed to full sun for all or part of the day, and can survive extended periods without water. Only during the rainy season are they submerged for a few weeks. The thickened, leathery, or succulent, stiff leaves are adaptations to this lifestyle.

We therefore explicitly recommend NOT placing these plants in an aquarium. They do not thrive there long-term. This misconception is probably the reason they have a reputation for being difficult to care for. In our experience, they are much better suited as plants for paludariums, drip walls, and humid terrariums, and grow very easily when completely emersed (i.e., above water). They look their best when they can grow as they would in nature, for example, attached to a rock or mounted on the back wall of a terrarium. Here is a short video from the natural habitat of this plant. Anyone interested in learning more about the lifestyle of these quirky little plants can find out more in this excellent overview (in English).

You will receive a flowering plant in a 7cm pot. These plants are grown entirely emersed by us, but in very high humidity, and have strong root systems. They vary in leaf size, but the rhizomes are always approximately the same size. Please do not use them as aquarium plants.