By Chuck Nishihira
This wonderful species in the genus Marcgravia goes by two names in the hobby. It was originally called species Brown, but then quickly received the name species Bronze by others.  Whatever it is called, it is distinctive enough to not be confused with any other species in the hobby. This Peruvian species is easy to keep in the juvenile state and a whole tank can be covered with the 3/4″ leaves.  Allowed to climb, it would certainly mature and produce larger leaves, but it would probably also be less distinctively colored. It is easy to cultivate and reproduces easily by cuttings.  The color of the leaves are also variable depending on light intensity and the amount of feeding it receives.  There are 2 clones of this species in the hobby, one being a little lighter colored than the other. Both will produce the dark leaves with the green trim if allowed to grow with less light and fertilizer.  In high light, the leaves can be a reddish-brown, this color not confined to just the newest leaves either. However you grow it, it can easily be the focal point of the terrarium.
