		wildsingapore homepage sitemap to the online guide search \| glossary coral rubble index

coral rubble area

Tape seagrass Enhalus acoroides Family Hydrocaritaceae
A small clump of tape seagrass

A few small clumps of tape seagrass grows near the outer edge of the coral rubble area.

Tape seagrass has the longest leaves of seagrasses found on Chek Jawa. The long strap-like leaves are 1-2cm wide and 30cm-1.5m long. The leaves have air channels in them. This seagrass has thick rhizomes (underground stems) that is densely covered with the fibrous strands of old leaves. The rhizomes also have many cord-like, hairless roots. The roots also have wide air-channels. This seagrass appears to prefer to grow in muddy ground.

This seagrass has white flowers, male flowers are tiny while female flowers are larger. The fruits are round and large (4-6cm in diameter) with dark, ribbed skin and 6-7 white seeds. The seeds float for only about 5 hours before they start to sink, thus they don't travel far. Roots develop rapidly and the seeds germinate quickly. Like other seagrasses, tape seagrass spreads mostly by vegetative reproduction.

Role in the habitat: Tape seagrass is believed to be among the main food of dugongs. Tiny algae often grows on the leaves of this seagrass, providing food for grazing creatures such as snails.

Human uses: The seeds are eaten by coastal dwellers. Eaten raw, they are said to taste like water chestnuts.

Leaves

Flowers

quick facts
Each tape-like leaf is 1-2cm wide and very long, 30cm-1.5m. A few small clumps in the coral rubble area.

See also ...
Seagrasses in general

Links
Enhalus acoroides on the University of Hawai'i website: brief fact sheet with diagrams of the seagrass.
Enhalus acoroides on the University of Hawai'i website: a selection of photos of various Cymodocea species found in Hawai'i
Scientific publications on on Prediction of the Resilience and Recovery of Disturbed Coastal Communities in the Tropics (SE Asia) page on the University of the Balearic Islands website: some rather technical information about tape seagrass.

Other references

Calumpong, H. P. & Menez, E. G., 1997. Field Guide to the Common Mangroves, Seagrasses and Algae of the Philippines. Bookmark, Inc., the Philippines. 197 pp.
Ong, Jin Eong & Gong, Wooi Khoon (eds.), 2001. The Encyclopedia of Malaysia (Vol. 6): The Seas. Didier Millet, Malaysia. 144 pp.
Hartog, C. Den. The Sea-grasses of the World, 1970. North-Holland Pub. Co., Amsterdam. 276 pp., 20 pp. of photos.
Tan, Leo W. H. & Ng, Peter K. L., 1988. A Guide to Seashore Life. The Singapore Science Centre, Singapore. 160 pp. online version
Lim, S., P. Ng, L. Tan, & W. Y. Chin, 1994. Rhythm of the Sea: The Life and Times of Labrador Beach. Division of Biology, School of Science, Nanyang Technological University & Department of Zoology, the National University of Singapore. 160 pp.

a companion website to the chek jawa guidebook website©ria tan 2003 www.wildsingapore.com

a companion website to the chek jawa guidebook
website©ria tan 2003 www.wildsingapore.com