Salvinia molesta

Florida Natural Areas Inventory palm logo

Common Name: giant salvinia

Family: Salviniaceae

Common Synonyms: none

USDA Hardiness Zone: 8a-11

Growth Habit: Floating Aquatic Herb

Origin: Brazil

FISC Category: -

FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: Yes

Introduction Date: Earliest Florida specimen vouchered in 2000.

IFAS Assessment:

  • North: PROHIBITED
  • Central: PROHIBITED
  • South: PROHIBITED
NA
Robert Vid&#233,ki, Doronicum Kft., Bugwood.org

Description

Floating fern, mat forming, with rootless stems to 10 cm long. Leaves born in 3s, appear distichous (third leaf resembling roots), rounded to broadly elliptic, to 1.5 to 3 cm long and wide, often folded along the midrib, base cordate, hairy on both surfaces, papilla on upper surface with 4 distal hairs joined at the tips (resembling a basket).

Habitat

Lake, river

Comments

Vouchered only in 2 counties. Noxious weed in other regions. Spread by watercraft. Targeted for immediate eradication whenever found.

Map of species distribution

Control Methods

  • Manual: NA
  • Chemical: NA
  • Biological: NA

Control Notes

No specific treatments available.

References

IFAS, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. 2013. Giant Salvinia, Salvinia molesta. http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/396. Accessed on December 9, 2013.

IFAS, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. 2013. Weed Alert: Giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta). http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/weedalert/invasiveplants_giantsalvinia.pdf. Accessed on December 9, 2013.

Dave's Garden. 2013. PlantFiles: Giant Salvinia, Salvinia molesta. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/55956/. Accessed on December 9, 2013.

NA
AquaPlant