It is a light green or dark green plant, the leaves are ribbon-shaped and narrow with 7 to 9 parallel nerves. The shoots coming from the root are a few millimetres long and are segmented into regular pieces. Male and female flowers are formed in separate bundles. The fruits usually grow in pairs at the base of the bundle.
Where does it live?
A species typical of the infralittoral (always submerged), widely distributed in the Mediterranean Sea and in the NE Atlantic, from southern Spain to the Canary Islands. It is present in sandy-muddy soils in sheltered places from the surface down to about 10 metres. Locally it forms very extensive meadows together with Posidonia oceanica and Zostera nolti.
How does it reproduce?
It produces flowersa which are inconspicuous and difficult to see among its long leaves. Plants spread by rhizome growth (underground stems) only on horizontal surfaces.
Is a confusion possible?
In the Mediterranean it could be confused with other aquatic plants such as Posidonia oceanica although the latter is larger and the leaves are considerably thicker. It can also be confused with Zostera marina (it has larger leaves, 5 to 12 mm wide, with rounded ends) or with Zostera nolti (much smaller with less thick leaves).
Curiosities
· In addition to stabilising the soil with its roots, it also serves as a support for a large number of filamentous algae and invertebrates.
· Like Posidonia oceanica, it also provides protection for the juveniles of different species of fish, hence its high ecological value.
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