Salvinia minima
Common Name(s): Water spangles, water fern
Non-Native to Florida
This species appears on the following legally prohibited plant lists
UF-IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas
CATEGORY I on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council’s (FLEPPC) 2017 List of Invasive Plant Species
Download a recognition card (PDF) from Invasive and Non-native Plants You Should Know1
For brief control information, see Efficacy of Herbicide Active Ingredients Against Aquatic Weeds (EDIS Pub #SS-AGR-44)
Video Transcript
Water spangles or Water fern – Salvinia minima
Salvinia plants are floating ferns. There are ten species of salvinia in the world and the water fern, Salvinia minima, is the species that occurs in Florida. Water fern is about three-quarters of an inch long. It occurs in still water areas with a high organic-matter content. It often grows in association with other aquatic plants. Water fern has joined oval leaves. Its leaf surfaces are covered with stiff hairs. Water fern has root-like structures that are actually modified leaves.
- These small floating ferns are about three-quarters of an inch long.
- Water fern has paired, oval leaves with stiff hairs on the leaf tops.
- It has leaves that look like underwater roots.
Salvinia plants are floating ferns native to tropical America. There are 10 species of Salvinia in the world, none of which are native to the United States. This species is about 3/4 inch in width. It commonly occurs in freshwater ponds and swamps from the peninsula to the central panhandle of Florida (Wunderlin, 2003).
Water fern has joined oval leaves. Its leaf surfaces are covered with stiff hairs. Water fern has root-like structures which are actually modified fronds.
Appearance
Free-floating fern; stems rootless, hairy, about 10 cm (4 in) long.
Leaves
Borne in threes; appear 2-ranked, but with 3rd leaf finely dissected and dangling, resembling roots; rounded to somewhat broadly elliptic, 1–1.5 cm (0.4–1 in) long, with cordate base, upper surface with 4-pronged hairs, lower surface hairy.
Spores
In a nutlike sporocarp (a multicellular structure), trailing beneath.
Text from Invasive and Non-Native Plants You Should Know, Recognition Cards, by A. Richard and V. Ramey, 2007. UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, Publ. No. SP 431.
Citations
1. Invasive and Non-native Plants You Should Know – Recognition Cards,
by A. Richard and V. Ramey. University of Florida-IFAS Publication # SP 431. 2007.