Photo thanks to harca

Name:
Common: Common Nardoo
Scientific: Marsilea drummondii
AKA: Dullum Dullum

Difficulty: Easy
Light requirements: low, medium or high
Type: Rhizome
Temperature: 10 - 40c
pH:
Country of Origin: Australia
CO2: Not required
Substrate: Aquasoil or DIY in aquariums
Filtration/Circulation:

Position in tank: It can be used as a groundcover in medium to high light tanks. It has been reported to work as a groundcover in low light tanks, but may struggle and shoot leaves on higher stems.

When first planted in the tank, if the stems with leaves are too long, they can be cut off to encourage shorter growth, then the rhizomes planted immediately.

In the pond it can be planted in pots up to a metre deep (although it would prefer to be nearer the surface), and will send leaves to the surface.

Propagation: It is propagated through sporocarps – modified leaves on the nodes at the base of leaf stems, which form a hard outer casing around spores. These have been known to successfully germinate after 40 years. These sporocopes are different sizes and shapes for each species, and the most reliable form of identification.

If planted in a pot, the root ball can be divided and re-potted.

Ferts: It is a fairly heavy root feeder. It will benefit from liquid ferts as well, but is primarily a root feeder. It can survive in an inert substrate with root tabs, but it won’t thrive as it would in an aquasoil or DIY soil.

It will melt & die with full-strength algaecide. If this is used at all, it should be at ¼ strength.

There are about 65 species worldwide of this aquatic fern, and 6 species in Australia, all of which are suitable for use as pond or aquarium plants:
Marsilea angustifolia/ Marsilea costulifera “Narrow-leaf Nardoo” – grows fast, dark leaves
Marselia drummondii “Common Nardoo”
Marsilea costulifera/ Marsilea angustifolia “Narrow-leaf Nardoo” – grows fast, dark leaves
Marsilea hirsuta “Hansen’s Nardoo”
Marsilea mutica

Of the exotic varieties grown in Australian aquariums, there is:
Marsilea minuta – one of the rarest

To tell Marsileas (Nardoos) apart they should be grown emersed and better yet allowed to flower.

This nardoo is from inland Australia – all states except ACT and Tasmania. Due to its large range it is not considered to be at risk.

It occurs naturally in still or slow-moving water margins to a metre deep. It can tolerate droughts, often still growing in drying river banks. It tolerates sand to clay soil.

It is good for weed suppression, and its sporocarps are food for waterbirds, which contribute to its distribution, along with flooding & the wind carrying the spores.

Although it was used as a bush food by Aboriginal people, it had been traditionally prepared by harvesting the sporocarps and grinding them, then adding water to form a dough. The plant contains very high levels of thiaminase I, which is believed to have contributed to the death of Burke & Wills due to incorrect preparation. It causes thyamine deficiency (Beri-Beri) in sheep if they graze on it, and has been linked to poisoning of sheep, cattle & horses, although this is not always the case, as it is not preferential grazing. The moral of this story is – unless you really know what you’re doing, do NOT eat this plant.

It is a good plant for beginners in ponds, or beginners +1 in aquariums.

Relevant threads:

Australian Marsilea sp. List & submersed/ emersed growth differences:
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showt...light=marsilea

Differentiating between Marsilea (Nardoo) species – with pics of sporocarps:
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showt...arsilea-minuta

Photo thanks to corlis (Doc)

Kimberley biotype plant list:
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showt...e-Regent-River

Marsilea angustifolia/ Marsilea costulifera and Marsilea hirsuta, with pics:
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showt...ea-costulifera

Marsilea costulerfa:
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showt...light=marsilea

Marsilea drummondii – how to plant in aquarium (with pics):
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showt...mmondii-Length
Marsilea dummondii – link to field guide:
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showt...lea-drummondii

Marsilea hirstuta – low light, how to plant:
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showt...light=marsilea
Low-tech slow growing carpet:
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showt...light=marsilea
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showt...light=marsilea
Emergent leaves die off on planting, then new growth comes back:
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showt...light=marsilea
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showt...light=marsilea

Marsilea minuta – exotic and rare in Australia, weeds readily:
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showt...arsilea-Minuta

Marsilea mutica - Rainbow nardoo – good pond plant:
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showt...light=marsilea

References:

Australian National Botanic Gardens:
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2...rummondii.html

CSIRO:
http://www.cpbr.gov.au/cpbr/WfHC/Mar...dii/index.html

The Planted Tank:

Tropical Fish Keeping:

Wikipedia - sporocarps:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sporocarp_%28ferns%29

Pictures:


Marsilea costulifera.
Photo thanks to SOLOMON.


Marsilea drummondii.
Photo thanks to harca.


Marsilea drummondii – Toothleaved form.
Photo thanks to DiscusEden


Marsilea mutica.
Photo thanks to DiscusEden.

11/05/2014
DiscusEden