|
|
Description:
Turtle grass is characterized by its flat, strap-like blades. Blades
can be 4 - 30 inches tall and 1 - 1.5 inches wide.
There are 9 - 15 parallel veins per blade. Rhizomes are thick and
tough, with an extensive root system that anchors the rhizomes to the
substrate. Scaly flowers, generally whitish-green to pink in color,
are produced. Fruits are rounded and pod-like.
Habitat:
Turtle grass grows in the subtidal zone from approximately the low tide line
to depths of 30 feet or more. In clear waters, depth can be up to 90
feet. Sheltered areas having
muddy substrates are prime habitat.
Range:
Turtle grass ranges throughout the tropical western Atlantic from near
Sebastian Inlet in east central Florida south through the Gulf of
Mexico, Central and South America to Venezuela.
|
 |
Turtle grass bed in the Indian River Lagoon. Photo courtesy of P. Hall, Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
|
 |
Fruits and seeds of turtle grass.
Photo courtesy R. Phillips, University of Hawaii Botany Dept.
|
| |
Mature blades of turtle grass are often found overgrown with many different
types of tiny organisms. These epiphytes utilize other organisms for
support and anchorage, but do not typically draw nutrition from their hosts.
|
|
