Salvinia molesta
kariba-weed, african payal, kariba weed, water fern, aquarium watermoss, giant salvinia
Family
Salviniaceae
Leaf Arrangement
alternate
Leaf Type
simple
Growth Form
fern, floating aquatic, aquatic
Flower Color
brown
Height (meters)
0.0
Milky Sap
No
Armed/Unarmed
Unarmed
Origin
introduced
Lifespan
annual, perennial
Wetland Class
OBL
Field Characters
Free floating aquatic fern that can be distinguished from S. minima by rows of white hairs on its leaves that divided into four thin branches, rejoining at the tips, resembling tiny eggbeaters. S. minima has unjoined hairs on its leaf surfaces.