Azolla - what is it?

Azolla is an aquatic heterosporic fern, triangular or polygonal in shape. It floats on the water surface in ponds, ditches and paddy fields of tropical and warm temperate regions. Sometimes it gives the appearance of a green-reddish carpet, floating over the water. This genus is the only one of the Azollaceae family and has six to eight recognised species, belonging to two subgenera:

Azolla, includes A. filiculoides Lam., A. Rubra R.Br. (considered by some authors as a A. filiculoides variety) , A. caroliniana Willd., A. microphylla Kaulf. and A. mexicana Presl.;

Azolla filiculoides

Azolla pinnata

Rhizosperma comprises A. nilotica Decne, A. pinnata R.Br. and A. imbricata (Roxb. ex Griff) Nak. (considered by some authors as a A. pinnata ).

The plant has leaves with two lobes. In the dorsal lobe there is an ovoid cavity which contains a endosymbiotic community. This community is composed of two types of prokaryotic organisms: one species of nitrogen-fixing filamentous cyanobacteria Anabaena azollae Strasb and a variety of bacteria that some are identified as Arthrobacter sp. and associated with other showing the presence of nitrogenase. As a consequence of this association, in some regions of the globe (Africa and Asia), Azolla is used as a nitrogen biofertilizer, namely in rice fields. Main characters of A. filiculoides Lam. (subgenus Azolla ) and A. pinnata var. africana (subgenus Rhizosperma ). Vegetative characters Reprodutive characters

Species

shape

leaf leaf n of papill stomata shape margin floats 2 gard. cells

glochidia external, fluked, aseptate or rarely septate near the apex internal aseptate, slightly curve.

2-4 polygonal obtuse hyalin A. filiculoides layers unicellular

A. pinnata

triangular acute

3-4 hyalin unicellular annular layers