
AQUATIC PLANTS OF FRESHWATER 

SALVINIA 
This is the most beautiful of the smaller floating aquatic plants. Two 
species, Sa/vinia natans, native to the Southern and Southwestern States, 
and the larger tropical S. brasiliensis, are to be obtained of florists. Fig. 136. 
< The leaves of the native species are heartshaped, 
and of a bright, beautiful green color, and covered 
with hairlike bristles, the under side of the leaf 
being a purplish-red. The larger, more circular 
leaves of the exotic species are pale golden yellow 
with pea-green tints and a bright-green border; 
and are more rounded with a depressed centre 
which gives the leafa heartshapedappearance. The 
leaves grow in rows along a fine threadlike stem, 

Hie Ghee Se and in the moist atmosphere of the greenhouse 
and a leaf of S. brasiliensis. develop and increase with increditable rapidity, but 
Reduced one-third. ; C a iM ; 5 
in the household aquarium soon diminish in size 
and rarely survive the winter. Goldfishes eat the roots, which also tends to 
check the growth. It is the handsomest of the floating aquarium plants 
but does not serve as an oxygenator. “Iwo new species have recently be- 
come known, 8. auriculata from South America, and S. elegans from Mexico. 
TRIANEA 
This sub-tropical floating water plant, Trianea 
bogotensis, Fig. 137, with its heartshaped, slightly 
roughened and waxlike green leaves, is an attractive 
floating plant, which develops with remarkable 
rapidity in the moist atmosphere of the greenhouse, 
but dwindles in size of leaf and loses vigor in the 
household aquarium. The pendant roots harbor 
infusoria and entomostraca and are eaten by the 
fishes. It makes a fine appearance in the aquarium, 
but will not serve as an oxygenator. The leaves | % 
develop in the centre of the clusters and the blossom 
is small and yellow with a white centre. 
As a shade plant in out-of-doors tanks, it is to 
be recommended and grows well during the warm 
summer months, if not exposed to too strong sun- 
light. May be had of florists. 
FROG-BIT 
This floating plant, Hydrocharis morsus-rana, 

: E FIG. 137. Trianea, Trianea 
(Hort.) Fig. 138, a European species, never takes dogorensis. Reduced one-third. 
210 
