Salvinia molesta
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:
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).
Lake, river
Vouchered only in 2 counties. Noxious weed in other regions. Spread by watercraft. Targeted for immediate eradication whenever found.
No specific treatments available.
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.
