Weed Information: Azolla spp. (mosquito fern)
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Azolla spp. (mosquito fern)

Family: Azollaceae

Description

A genus of only four known species in North America. Diminutive spore producing, floating aquatic plants with numerous leaves +/- 1mm in size. The plants may be green but are often a distinctive reddish brown. The species are separated primarily by microscopic characters, so are presented here as the genus only.

Characteristics

Number of Petals
  • 0 (no petals)
Number of Sepals
  • sepals lacking
Number of Styles
  • Styles lacking (male flowers only)
Number of Stamens
  • stamens lacking (female flowers only)

Number of Carpels
  • 0 (male flowers only or plants producing spores)
Fruit Length at Maturity
  • 1 mm (.04 inch) or less
Fruit Width at Maturity
  • 1 mm (.04 inch) or less
Burs
  • Fruit or seed NOT bur-like
Fruit Type
  • Spore

Leaf Arrangement
  • All basal
Leaf Type
  • Simple (including lobed leaves)
Stipules
  • Lacking
Tendrils
  • Tendrils absent
Petiole (leaf stem) Blade Ratio
  • Petiole absent (leaf sessile)
Leaf Length (blade PLUS petiole)
  • < 5 mm (< .20 inch)
Leaf Width
  • < 1 mm (< .04 inch)
Leaf Shape (simple leaves only)
  • Elliptic
  • Oval
Leaf or Leaflet Margin
  • Entire
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Base
  • Acute (cuneate)
  • Rounded
Leaf or Leaflet Tip
  • Rounded (obtuse)
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Surface
  • Glabrous (NO hairs)
Succulence
  • Not succulent

Milky Juice
  • Juice NOT milky (watery)
Woodiness
  • Herbaceous
Spines or Thorns
  • Spines or Thorns ABSENT
Aromatic (vegetative structures)
  • Not aromatic
Life Cycle
  • Annual
  • Perennial
Growth Habit (while flowering)
  • Prostrate
  • Floating
Plant Height at Maturity
  • < 1 cm (< .40 inch)
Wind Dissemination
  • Fruit, seed, or spore wind borne
  • Entire plant mobilized (tumbleweeds)
Moisture Regime
  • Aquatic
Chlorophyll
  • Present

Root or Vegetative Propagule
  • Fibrous

US State
  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Massachusetts
  • Maine
  • Michigan
  • Missouri
  • Mississippi
  • North Carolina
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • West Virginia
  • Hawaii
  • Indiana
  • Maryland
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Iowa
  • Minnesota
  • New Mexico
  • Nevada
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • South Dakota
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Nebraska
Canadian Province or Territory
  • British Columbia
  • Ontario
Other
  • Puerto Rico
  • District of Columbia

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