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Carpet & Foreground

Brazilian micro sword

Lilaeopsis brasiliensis (trade and Tropica name); POWO treats it as a synonym of Lilaeopsis minor (A.W.Hill) Pérez-Mor.

A grass-like member of the carrot family from South America that slowly forms a low lawn; plant small tufts a few cm apart. It manages with moderate light, but the lawn only becomes dense under strong, unshaded light.

Needs

Care levelEasy
LightMedium
CO₂Helps
GrowthSlow
HeightUp to 6 cm
Temperature15–24 °C
WhereFront of the tank
Feeds throughLeaves, from the water
FamilyApiaceae (carrot family)
Native toSouth-eastern and southern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and north-eastern Argentina
Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. See sources

How to keep it

  • Bright, unshaded light for a dense lawn
  • Plant small clumps a few cm apart in fine substrate
  • CO2 helps (medium need)
  • Shading by taller plants / low light (lawn stays sparse)

Sources

14 facts checked with sources