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Seagrasses
Ribbon-like seagrasses
How to tell them apart?
updated Aug 08

Ribbon-like These different kinds of ribbon-like seagrasses can look very similar.
Here's some tips on telling them apart.

Smooth ribbon seagrass
Cymodocea rotundata
Serrated ribbon seagrass
Cymodocea serrulata
Sickle seagrass
Thalassia hemprichii
Leaf tip rounded with smooth edge.
Leaf tip rounded with serrated edge.
Leaf tip rounded may be slightly serrated.
No cross hatched veins. No cross hatched veins. Cross hatched veins.
Leaf sheath not obviously flattened.
Leaf sheath broadly flat and triangular, not fibrous.
 
Leaf sheath scars continuous
around upright stem.
Leaf sheath scars not continuous around upright stem.
Distant scars on rhizome
Sometimes, leaves may be curved.
Sometimes, leaves may be curved.
Leaf often distinctly curved

 
Tape seagrass
Enhalus acoroides

Needle seagrass
Halodule sp.

 
Leaf edges are inrolled.
Leaf narrow with three distinct parallel veins and fibrous leaf sheaths.
 

More comparisons


Noodle seagrass
Syringodium isoetifolium

Spoon seagrass
Halophila ovalis

Beccarri's seagrass
Halophila beccarri
Has cylindrical leaves.
Has oval leaves.
Has tiny leaves that
emerge in a rosette.

how to tell apart seagrasses from seaweeds
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