Villous Waterclover

Description

Marsilea villosa, the -ihi-ihi (Hawaiian) or villous waterclover (English), is a species of fern that is endemic to the islands of O-ahu, Moloka-i and Ni-ihau in Hawaii. It is found exclusively in areas that experience periodic flooding and become ephemeral pools within low elevation dry forests and shrublands. Standing water allows the sporocarp to open and release spores. It also enables the resulting sperm to swim toward and fertilize female ova.