C. fusca 'West Kalimantan'

This was the last location where we found cryptocorynes during our recent trip to West Kalimantan. The crypt pages highlighted West Kalimantan as a C. fusca heaven and we initially worried that we would find nothing but C. fusca. Luckily, we managed to find other species of cryptocorynes first and only located C. fusca last while on our way back to Pontianak.

C. fusca was found growing in abundance along the banks of this river. The banks were formed by muddy substrate and the pH of the river was about 5.5.

The below showed some photographs of the emersed and submersed leaves.

As we were rushing for time, I only managed to find an unopened spathe with the limited time my friend gave me to search.

This was one of the unopened spathes we collected. We collected a specimen with fruit attached too.

A collected spathe did opened but only slightly. The spathe melted 4 to 5 days after the slight opening. I was able to take some photographs of the male and female flowers which were still intact after I removed the melted portion of the spathe.

My friend managed to book a ticket to fly to the Natunas Islands tomorrow and will be back by this Saturday. Do remember to visit his blog this weekend to see what he managed to find there!