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Azolla

File:Azolla_caroliniana0.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

EntityQ1128633· pop 39· linked from 115 articles

Azolla (commonly called mosquito fern, water fern, and fairy moss) is a genus of seven species of aquatic ferns in the family Salviniaceae. They are extremely reduced in form and specialized, having a significantly different appearance to other ferns and more resembling some mosses or even duckweeds. Azolla filiculoides is one of two fern species for which a reference genome has been published. It is believed that this genus grew so prolifically during the Eocene (and thus absorbed such a large amount of carbon) that it triggered a global cooling event that has lasted to the present.

Species

GENUS

  1. KingdomPlantae
  2. PhylumTracheophyta
  3. ClassPolypodiopsida
  4. OrderSalviniales
  5. FamilySalviniaceae
Habitatfreshwater
Observations recorded64,590

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Wikidata facts

Image
Azolla caroliniana0.jpg
Show 4 more facts
taxon name
Azolla
Commons category
Azolla
taxon common name
满江红属
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~11 min read

Article

15 sections
Contents
  • Phylogeny
  • Ecology
  • ''Azolla filiculoides''
  • Reproduction
  • Applications
  • Food and animal feed
  • Concerns related to BMAA
  • Companion plant
  • Larvicide
  • Paleoclimatology and climate change
  • Invasive species
  • Bioremediation
  • Notes
  • References
  • External links

Azolla (commonly called mosquito fern, water fern, and fairy moss) is a genus of seven species of aquatic ferns in the family Salviniaceae. They are extremely reduced in form and specialized, having a significantly different appearance to other ferns and more resembling some mosses or even duckweeds. Azolla filiculoides is one of two fern species for which a reference genome has been published. It is believed that this genus grew so prolifically during the Eocene (and thus absorbed such a large amount of carbon) that it triggered a global cooling event that has lasted to the present.

Azolla may establish as an invasive plant in areas where it is not native. In such a situation, it can alter aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity substantially by exhausting oxygen and covering water surface making underwater plants unable to photosynthesise.

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