Salvinia is a genus of free-floating aquatic ferns found today in tropical and subtropical waters. Each node on the plant produces a strange three-part frond: two leaf-like segments float on the water’s surface, while a third, root-like structure hangs below, helping absorb nutrients. Like its relatives in the Salviniales, Salvinia produces two kinds of spores, tiny male spores and larger female spores, a trait called heterospory. Fossils of extinct Salvinia-like ferns, including Hydropteris and Dorfiella, are known from the Late Cretaceous of North America. These ancient ferns had a mix of features: some fronds were Salvinia-like, while others looked more like traditional fern leaves. Some paleobotanists now group these fossils under the name Dorfiella, interpreting them as early, variable forms in the evolutionary history of modern Salvinia. These Cretaceous aquatic ferns likely grew in lakes, swamps, and floodplains, forming floating mats similar to those of Salvinia today. Some even show signs of being halfway between rooted land plants and fully floating aquatic ferns, offering a rare glimpse at the transition to the unusual lifestyle Salvinia has today.