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Water Sprite

Ferns and Fern Allies

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Water sprite, Ceratopteris thalictroides, is an aquatic fern of the family Pteridaceae native to tropical and subtropical wetlands of Asia, Africa and Australia, able to grow either rooted in mud with emergent fronds or fully floating and submerged. Its finely divided, feathery fronds and rapid growth have made it one of the most popular plants in the freshwater aquarium hobby, valued both for aquascaping and for its ability to absorb excess nutrients from aquarium water, and in parts of Southeast Asia its young fronds are also eaten as a leafy vegetable.

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