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Common Salvinia

Salvinia minima

Non-Native

Common Salvinia Locations in US
Common Salvinia Locations in Southeast US
Common Salvinia close up in hand

drawing of common salvinia
comparing common and giant salvinia
common salvinia being held

common salvinia in a field
close up common salvinia
common salvinia floating on water

USDA, NRCS. 2018. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 28 March 2018). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
Illustration courtesy of University of Florida/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. Used with permission.

What is Common Salvinia?

Physical Characteristics

Leaves:

  • 2 small, simple lobes
  • Whorls opposite of each other

Stem:

  • Essentially stemless with some leaves as roots

Fruiting Body:

  • Soft, thin walls
  • 2 or more on a common stalk at the base of leaves

Roots:

  • Branched horizontal root bearing simple roots

Where Does it Grow?

Non-Native

Common salvinia can be found free-floating or in mud.

Is it Invasive?

Underwater the leaves are modified into small root-like structures. The entire plant is only about 1 inch in depth. Salvinias are ferns and have no flower. Common salvinia can reproduce by spores or by fragmentation and is an aggressive invasive species. If colonies of common salvinia cover the surface of the water, then oxygen depletion and fish kills can occur. These plants should be controlled.

This is a non-native plant that should not be grown as it is invasive and illegal to possess or transport this species in Texas. Please report sightings to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at (512) 389-4800.

How to Manage This Plant
Plant Glossary
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Photo Credits: The majority of the aquatic plant line drawings are the copyright of the University of Florida Center for Aquatic Plants (Gainsville). They are used with permission.

Aquatic plant photographs were provided by David Bayne, Jim Davis, Kelly Duffie, Billy Higginbotham, Michael Masser, John Clayton, Chetta Owens, Diane Smith, Joe Snow, Don Steinbach, Bridget Robinson Lassiter and Peter Woods.

You may use these photos, so long as you give credit to AquaPlant.

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