Fern of the future?

Abstract

Held in the palm of a human hand, a single specimen of Azolla filiculoides looks downright inconsequential. Even with the scaly leaves of this miniature aquatic fern spread flat, it barely spans the distance between the creases that cleave the flesh. Its fibrous root tendrils dangle like a lock of matted hair, adding to its overall impression of impotence and making it even harder to believe that Azolla might help address humanity’s greatest challenges. That it could is the hope of a team of scientists investigating Azolla’s potential as a sustainable source of biofuel and protein. They presented their preliminary results last month at the EGU General Assembly.