# Floating plant



## kraigstein (Aug 21, 2015)

So I had a few fish ponds set up outside this summer, and I threw some plants out there just to see what they would do. Some did well, others not so much. A few pieces of duckweed did make it into the pond but when I was getting ready to empty the ponds for the season I noticed that the duckweed was mixed with something else? I have tried searching online and the closest thing I could find to what it looks like is possibly some species of azolla? I have since checked all my tanks inside and have not found anything that looks like this. Is it possible it was brought to the pond by a bird or other animal? Anyone have a guess as to the I.D.?


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## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

Yes, it's clearly an Azolla. I've found inconsistent info about the species number and names of the Azolla species occurring in North America. A. filiculoides + 1 or 2 further native species (microphylla and cristata, considered to be synonyms in other sources), and the introduced Old World species A. pinnata.
http://bonap.net/NAPA/TaxonMaps/Genus/County/Azolla


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## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

And here they mean there are only 2 native Azolla species in the Americas:
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~it6i-wtnb/azollaE.html#classification
A. filiculoides, with leaf trichomes (hairs) consisting of a single cell (visible with microscope), and
A. cristata, leaf trichomes with 2 cells.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

I have azolla in several tanks. Originally introduced from a local pond. 
It thrives in the brightest light. Many of my tanks are in a greenhouse, so a lot more light than most aquariums. When I bring azolla into the house it dies. Not enough light.


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