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Azolla with funny roots....


Insect Direct

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Different species :) Good spotting!

Azolla pinnata is an introduced species, apparently spreading from its invasion site in Warkworth (ie way the hell up north). This one may cause more problems as the branched roots can cause it to mesh and form mats.

Azolla filiculoides is the native one and grows in V-shapes.

Azolla are tiny free-floating ferns, and very cunning ones: they have a symbiotic cyanobacteria (bluegreen 'algae'). The Azolla creates little pockets for the bacteria to live in and take advantage of the cyano's nitrogen-fixing ability. The genome of the cyano is reducing - it doesn't need to do a whole bunch of stuff now that the Azolla makes a nice home for it. At some point it will probably become completely reliant on the Azolla as a host.

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