What plant is this?

[fablau]

Today I went to a local fish shop and found this incredibly beautiful plant (see below), but the guy at the store had no idea of its name. Any ideas?

 

[Gerryd]

Cabomba caroliniana in flowering mode....

 

[puopg]

Is that flowering underwater?

 

[Yo-han]

It probably touched the surface ones and shoot flowers.

 

[fablau]

Thank you for your reply Gerryd! I guessed it was a sort of "Cabomba".... but I've never seen Cabombas blooming this way!

And yes, flowers are under water. Now, I have put a bunch of these in my tank. I will let you know how the plant is doing int he coming days.

Gerryd: have you idea how often this plant blooms? And how long flowers can last?

Thank you again.

Best,
Fab.

 

[aquabillpers]

A somewhat related question: What is the biological purpose of flowers on submersed plants? Certainly they aren't there to attract pollinators. Do they provide the plant with another method of reproduction?

Thanks.

Bill

 

[Yo-han]

First of all, the purple flowers are probably from Cabomba furcata instead of caroliniana. Second, flowers are of no use under water. A plant starts producing flowers when exposed to air (during transport for example), or when grown to the surface.

 

[fablau]

That makes sense, thank you for your help.