Tonina fluviatilis originates from slow-flowing blackwater rivers and rivulets from Mexico to northern South-Americas, where it forms dense mat-like populations in shallow-water zones. It was first imported by Japanese aquarists who realised its beauty and suitability for aquatic layouts. Even though T. fluviatilis is still quite new in the hobby, it has been gaining increasing popularity and is now more and more frequently found in trade.
T. fluviatilis is the only species of the genus Tonina. It has a certain variability, and various location varietys are known whose habit differs a little. Some other stem-forming Eriocaulacea have erroneously been introduced to the hobby as Tonina species (for Tonina sp. 'Belem' and T. sp. 'Manaus', please see Syngonanthus macrocaulon and Syngonanthus cf. inundatus).
T. fluviatilis is the only species of the genus Tonina. It has a certain variability, and various location varietys are known whose habit differs a little. Some other stem-forming Eriocaulacea have erroneously been introduced to the hobby as Tonina species (for Tonina sp. 'Belem' and T. sp. 'Manaus', please see Syngonanthus macrocaulon and Syngonanthus cf. inundatus).