Azolla nilotica Decne. ex Mett.

nilotica: from the valley of the Nile, this fern was first collected on the Nile.

Rhizome up to 2 mm in diameter, up to 32 cm long, horizontal, hairy, branched. Secondary branches alternately pinnately arranged. Roots numerous, in fascicles from the nodes, hairy. Leaves 2-lobed; upper lobe up to 2 mm long, broadly ovate to elliptic in outline, apex rounded to broadly pointed, green, papillate in the centre, margins forming a broad translucent wing; lower lobe colourless, smaller and thin. Plant heterosporous, sporocarps in the leaf axils, only on the older parts of the plant.

Rare

Burundi, DRC, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambiqua, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.