Salviniaceae Martinov

Salviniaceae, A.H.G Alston. Flora of West Tropical Africa. 1959

Morphology General Habit

Small floating herbaceous plants

Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes

Rhizome horizontal, branched, siphonostelic, without roots

Morphology Leaves

Leaves in whorls of three of which two are entire and floating, and the third submerged and finely dissected into root–like segments, which are thickly covered with hairs; floating leaves papillose

Azollaceae, A.H.G Alston. Flora of West Tropical Africa. 1959

Morphology General Habit

Small floating moss–like plants with fragile pinnately branched, apparently siphonostelic rhizomes, covered with small imbricate leaves

Morphology Roots

Roots numerous with numerous root hairs (in W. African species)

Morphology Leaves

Leaves in two rows, each leaf consisting of an upper, floating, photosynthetic lobe which rests obliquely on the water touching it only on one edge and a lower submerged hyaline lobe with cavities in its lower surface, usually inhabited by blue green alga (Anabaena)

Azollaceae, Bernard Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1999

Morphology General Habit

Floating aquatic heterosporous leptosporangiate plants with slender pinnately branched siphonostelic rhizomes and with roots borne singly or in fascicles

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, imbricate, about 1– 2 mm. long, bilobed with an aerial lobe and a thin colourless submerged lobe