Salvinia molesta

Salvinia molesta

Taxobox
name = Giant salvinia



image_caption = The fern "Salvinia molesta" floating on a pond surface
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Pteridophyta
classis = Pteridopsida
ordo = Salviniales
familia = Salviniaceae
genus = "Salvinia"
species = "S. molesta"
binomial = "Salvinia molesta"
binomial_authority = D.Mitch.

"Salvinia molesta", commonly known as Giant salvinia or kariba weed after it infested a large portion of the reservoir of the same name, is an aquatic fern, native to south-eastern Brazil. It is a free floating plant that does not attach to the soil, but instead remains buoyant on the surface of a body of water. The fronds are 0.5-4 cm long and broad, with a bristly surface, and produced in pairs also with a third modified root-like frond that hangs in the water.

It reproduces by asexual reproduction only, but it is capable of growing extremely quickly, starting from small fragments and doubling in population size every few days, with the result that the surface of ponds, reservoirs, and lakes are covered by a floating mat 10-20 cm (in some rare cases up to 60 cm) thick. As a consequence, it has sometimes considered an invasive weed in some parts of the world. The plant's growth blocks sunlight needed by other aquatic plants and especially algae to oxygenate the water.

A tiny weevil, "Cyrtobagous salviniae", found in the native habitat of "S. molesta", is currently being studied as a biocontrol.

References

* ISBN 0-89672-614-2

External links

* [http://salvinia.er.usgs.gov/ US Geological Survey: Giant Salvinia]
* [http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/alert/alrtsalv.html Wildland Invasive Species Team - Weed alert]


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  • Salvinia molesta — Salvinia molesta …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Salvinia molesta — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda ? Giant salvinia helecho Salvinia molesta flotando Clasi …   Wikipedia Español

  • Salvinia molesta — Salvinia molesta …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Salvinia molesta — ID 75002 Symbol Key SAMO5 Common Name kariba weed Family Salviniaceae Category Fern Division Pteridophyta US Nativity Introduced to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution AL, AZ, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, NC, SC, TX Growth Habit Forb/herb …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Salvinia molesta Mitchell — Symbol SAMO5 Common Name kariba weed Botanical Family Salviniaceae …   Scientific plant list

  • Salvinia — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda ? Salvinia (Salviniaceae) Salvinia natans Clasificación c …   Wikipedia Español

  • Salvinia — Salvinia …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Salvinia — Taxobox name = Salvinia (Salviniaceae) image width = 200px image caption = Salvinia natans regnum = Plantae divisio = Pteridophyta classis = Pteridopsida ordo = Salviniales familia = Salviniaceae genus = Salvinia genus authority = Ség.… …   Wikipedia

  • Salvinia — Sal …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Salvinia — Schwimmfarne Gemeiner Schwimmfarn (Salvinia natans), Illustration Systematik Unterreich …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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