Java Fern, Microsorum pteropus, is a versatile plant for the aquatic garden. The dark green leaf adds a dark contrast compared to the lighter green of most plants. Java Fern's ability to thrive in relatively diverse conditions adds to its reputation as a hardy specimen. Like most Ferns, growth is rather slow but longevity makes up for this. Java Ferns reproduce by forming plantlets and the enlargement of the rhizome "root." The rhizome strip should be tied down to a rock or driftwood. Over time the rhizome will become attached to this substrate. The black or dark brown spots on the bottom of the leaves are sporangia, the normal spore-producing structures of the plant.