Bucephalandra pygmaea Bukit Kelam

This form of Bucephalandra pygmaea is found in Bukit Kelam in West Kalimantan and develops dense mats on stream boulders in the tropical rainforest. It is propagated by tissue culture and is available with the labels Bucephalandra sp. ‘Wavy Leaf’ and ‘Green Wavy’, also erroneously as B. sp. “Melawi”. “Bukit Kelam” is one of the most known and popular Bucephalandras in the aquarium hobby. This medium-sized Bucephalandra has broadly spathulate, green to brownish-green, quite soft leaves which are about 5 cm long and 2 cm wide. The margin is more or less wavy, the leaf underside is whiteish green.

This nice epiphyte is undemanding, however it looks best with medium lighting and good CO2 and nutrient supply. In general, Bucephalandra species are notoriously slow growers, but “Bukit Kelam” makes an exception, growing relatively fast. Not seldom it flowers under water, the inflorescences have a white spathe. The submerged plant develops an upright, branched, stem-like rhizome with many “aerial” roots. Occasional cutting of long shoots promotes the branching of the stem, leading to beautiful dense bushes with many heads. The cuttings may be tightened to the hardscape and will attach themselves by their roots.

The emersed leaves are longer and more wavy than the submerged ones. Bucephalandra pygmaea “Bukit Kelam / Sintang” is surely very attractive in paludariums with damp air, suitable for the creation of rainforest stream biotopes.