Salvinia minima

The Common Salvinia is native to tropical America and develops only 1 to 1.5 cm long, roundish floating leaves. It stays considerably smaller than Salvinia auriculata.

Salvinia minima is a versatile floating plant, having only little demands and growing also under moderate lighting. However it benefits much from nutrient-rich water.

With its fast growth, this small floating fern removes excess nutrients from the water column and is useful for breeding tanks. Its small size makes it suitable for small, open tanks and the water part of paludariums and ripariums.

Salvinia minima is a small floating fern originating from the American tropics. It has been introduced into the south of the US, where it is considered an invasive aquatic weed.

This floating fern, like other Salvinia species, forms floating mats on the surface of different, mostly stagnant waters.

The floating leaves of S. minima are roundish to broad-oval, have a heart-shaped basis and grow to a length of 1 to 1.5 cm. Under unfavourable conditions they tend to stay smaller, however. The stems branch out and grow to a length of around 10 cm before they break, forming new plants.

The hairs on the leaf surface most frequently form groups of four, and their tips are not connected (magnifying glass). This is an easy way to discern Salvinia minima from S. molesta and other species of the group of plants related to Salvinia auriculata.