Anyway, message missing when I hit submit comment (maybe too much)? and took a long time to compile the original research for posting here so won’t now.

The research was in response to another forum member posting a photo and wondering what “it” was – fern, algae or liverwort? (interesting links, beautiful photos – of all three and more, so if any one interested I will just email entire post)

Süßwassertang. That means “freshwater seaweed” in German.

I studied two years of German, but hadn’t remembered much so asked my x. He is Austrian and I asked what the word meant. Mark, your thoughts on spelling and meaning are correct.

He said actually the above spelling is correct – in translation it would more correctly be suesswassertang. He said Süßwasser meant “fresh water or sweet water” and tang more like sea kelp, seaweed or that sea stuff (he has no interest in any of this, lol and was not 100% sure). He looked up the word tang in his dictionary and tang means seaweed. He said his native tongue is equally confusing to him, lol.

The research I did makes sense, since ferns are primitive plants as are these (hence the spores) and at some point many of them (liverworts, algaes and ferns) look similar, land or water, fresh or salt, even if not related at this point (the evolution of them would be interesting).

(esp the usda files which post hundreds of photos – it is amazing the variety).

Best Sherry

In response to Al, I’m not sure why you want to grow it faster than usual but the idea is the same with all plants… optimal light, nutrients, and temps. Aquamoss.net has been a good resource for me. The indirect light bit probably has to do with direct light warming up water above the optimal range for the moss, but java can take pretty warm. I’ve not found growing it emersed to be any faster, and once established the rate of growth had a lot to do with optimal light, nutrients, temps, and staying relatively wet. I’d just recomend growing in in similar conditions as what you’re eventually going to use it for, and just be patient!

It’s been suggested to me that “tang” might mean “fern”, so that the name might actually be “Subwassertang”, which would then translate roughly as “under-water-fern”. When I spent a year living in Germany, however, I frequently went hiking in the woods with German relatives of mine, and they referred to ferns (when asked) as “farnen” … also, the more common German phrase for “under water” is “Unterwasser”, not “Subwasser” … so I’m sticking with “Susswassertang” as the correct spelling!

Thanks.