About Salvinia auriculata Aubl.
Salvinia auriculata Aubl. is a plant species belonging to the Salviniaceae family. Its common names are eared watermoss, African payal (known as ആഫ്രിക്കൻ പായൽ in Malayalam), and butterfly fern. It is native to the Americas, ranging from Mexico southward to Argentina and Chile. It is grown as an ornamental plant, and has become naturalized in the wild in some locations outside its native range. This species is difficult to distinguish from other species in the Salvinia genus. Individual plants vary in size based on how crowded they are among other plants. It has long been recognized as an invasive species. It had infested the Zambezi River by 1949, and is also classified as invasive in New Caledonia.
