Angiosperms, or flowering marine plants!

C. Survey of marine plants.

1. Angiosperms, or flowering plants.

a. Bear seeds, possess roots.

b. 250,000+ described species, of which only 47 (ca. 50) are marine. All of these marine species are grasses, reproducing primarily by rhizomes, runners, and rarely by seeds.

c. Southern Califonria.

1). Phyllospadix, with 2 species; occurs in shallow waters on rocky surfaces in turbulent water conditions. It is commonly called surf grass although most beach persons that I know call it eel grass. It occurs intertidally down to nearly 15 meters (m.) or 50'. Grows to a total length of 2 m. or 5-6'. The two species found off La Jolla are Phyllospadix torreyi, with 2-3 pairs of spadices, and
P. scouleri, with a solitary spadix. The spadix is a kind of flower spike with a fleshy axis, and in appearance looks like a chaff of wheat or rice. These 2 species are virtually impossible to differentiate when there are no spacides present.

2). Zostera marina, which is commonly called eel grass (but I'm not sure what people in southern California call this since they call Phyllospadix eel grass), occurs along the Pacific coast, Atlantic coast (North Carolina northward), European coast, Asia Minor, and eastern Asia. It is the most common and widespread marine flowering plant. It is found in tidal mud flats, bays, and estuaries. The flood control channel in Mission Bay just south of the south Mission Bay jetty is an excellent locale for locating this plant. It sometimes occurs in sand on the open coast, but at depths of 7-13 m., (20’-40'), or deeper in quiet water conditions as opposed to surf grass. The flowers and seeds are obscure; this plant serves as an important food plant for many birds and other marine animals. In 1931-32, it almost disappeared from the Atlantic coast due to a parasitic slime mold, Labyrinthula, that destroyed extensive beds of this grass. Re-establishment of these beds took more than 20 years in most areas of destruction.

d. Florida/southeastern US coast

1) Turtle grass, Thalassia testudinum, found along the Florida coast, has a northern range limit that is south of the southern range limit for Zostera. This grass is an intertidal and subtidal species, ranging as deep as 10 m. or 30'. In appearance, it looks much like Zostera.
2). Manatee grass, Syringodium filiforma, is found in the Gulf of Mexico, along the Florida to Louisiana coast. It is a subtidal species, living primarily on sandy bottoms. One of its striking features is the cylindrical (terete/pencil shape

3). Diplanthera wrightii, found off the southern coast of Florida, lives in shallow, quiet, stagnant waters. It has narrow and flattened leaves, with truncated/cut-off appearance and toothed ends.

e. Salt marsh plants, or halophytes (salt-loving): these are plants that are not completely submerged at high tide, but are definitely affected by the tides.

1). Salicornia, or pickleweed, has succulent, jointed stems, with obscure flowers. In Europe, it has been used for food and in the making of glass and soap due to the high yield of soda in this plant.

2). Salt grass, or Distichlis has extensive rhizomes, with stiff, harsh, spiny leaves. It lives at the margins of marshes or above the normal high tides. The species that is common is D. spicata, which grows to 2 cm/4".

3). Cord grass, or Spartina, is a stout, bushy, coarse plant. It grows up to 1 m/3' tall, with the highest tides covering the lower half of the plant.

4). Mangrove tree, is a tall (up to nearly 10 m or 30') bushy plant with the roots are submerged in water and the leaves and most of the stem being airborne. It drops saucer-shaped seeds with one end heavier, permitting that end to embed in the mud and germinate.

f. Coastal strand vegetation is influenced by the salt spray, mist/fog, and blowing sand that persist along the coastline.

1). Sand verbena, Abronia, is a perennial, prostrate herb with opposite leaves and thick, succulent stems. Its roots are stout and fleshy, and the herbage is covered with minute hairs which exude sticky material to which sand adheres. The species found in southern Califonria, A. maritima, has crimson flowers.

2). Evening primrose, Oenothera cheiranthifolia, has yellow flowers with silvery foliage.

3). Salt bush, Atriplex, inhabits alkaline sinks, dry lakes, and salt flats. It is a gray/white, dull looking shrub.

4). Ice plant, Mesembryanthemum species, is a succulent plant native to the southern hemisphere, meaning that it has been imported to the southern regions of this country, used extensively in California for sand stabilizing and erosion control. Actually, this genus is now called Gasoulis, although the old generic name is still commonly used.

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a). The sea fig, M. chilense, from South America, and M. edule, from southern Africa, has been used extensively on the sides of roadside hills as binders of sandy, dry soils for erosion control. These bloom simultaneously in spring, often covering the hillside with a carpet of brilliant pink or yellow. In Hawaii, these flowers (called "akule-kule") are used to make beautiful leis. Since the flowers resemble sea anemones, these are sometimes called anemone plants.

b). The true ice plant, M. crystallinum, has reddish leaves and looks as if it is covered with ice globules (clear, sparkling exudase at the base of leaves). It lives in subtropical/tropical climates.