Azolla filiculoides

Botanical Description

Azolla filiculoides is a small, evergreen, aquatic, floating fern, rarely larger than 25mm across. The plant spreads rapidly by budding, and is capable of quickly forming a dense mat of growth on the surface of the water. The foliage is bright green in shade, but develops attractive purplish-rose tints in full sun. All plants turn reddish-purple in the autumn as temperatures cool[ 352 Title KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder Publication Author Website http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Year 0 ISBN Description Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone. , 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ]. The plant is an excellent source of nitrogen-rich organic matter, used for making compost, as a fertilizer etc, and is also used in water purification projects. The plant has spread widely throughout the world by a variety of mechanisms, of which humans have become the most significant. It has been introduced into Europe, North and sub-Saharan Africa, China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, the Caribbean and Hawaii. It grows rapidly in eutrophic water systems, easily outcompeting indigenous vegetation. The mat of growth on top of the water prevents light penetration; this, coupled with the decaying root and leaf matter below, creates an anaerobic environment which can reduce the quality of drinking water and make survival for other organisms in the water impossible[ 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ].