[fishyfishy101]

I saw this plant under a Google image search for alternanthera reineckii, but it doesn't look like any that I've seen? Is it a different plant, or just a variety of A.reineckii?

 

[dukydaf]

To me it looks like A. reineckii 'mini' without enough light. It would help if you provided/read the original website.

Always at least provide the source of a photograph you do not own ( an no images.google.com is not the source).

 

[fishyfishy101]

To me it looks like A. reineckii 'mini' without enough light. It would help if you provided/read the original website.

Always at least provide the source of a photograph you do not own ( an no images.google.com is not the source). Unless otherwise stated, images are copyrighted and as such you are not allowed to use them without the consent of the copyright owner.

Link to the website

http://www.flowgrow.de/db/wasserpflanzen/alternanthera-reineckii-kleines-papageienblatt

It says that it's A. reineckii but the coloring is so different.

 

[dukydaf]

Thanks.

The folks at flowgrow.de are usually up-to-date with the names and IDs and apparently it was decribed by Kasselmann in 2010. I think I had that book somewhere...

From the article in German this is a form of A. reineckii that predates the AR 'mini' called the "Kleines Papageienblatt" (Small parrot leaf) . "Bei mäßiger Beleuchtung sind sie eher grün, bei Starklicht färben sie sich rötlich." -It can be green under normal illumination but if the light is strong enough it will get red. So it seems it is just an old variety that is mostly forgotten.

It is not uncommon to get different color varieties of the same plant (eg. Rotala rotundifolia variations) or leaf shapes ( eg. Microsorium or Bolbitis come to mind)