Halophila Stipulacea
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Hydrocharitaceae |
| Genus: | Halophila |
| Species: | H. stipulacea |
| Binomial name |
|---|
| Halophila stipulacea (Forssk.) Asch.[2] |
| Synonyms[2] |
| Zostera stipulacea Forssk. Thalassia stipulacea (Forssk.) K.D.Koenig Barkania stipulacea (Forssk.) Zanardini ex Pritz. Zostera bullata Delile Barkania bullata (Delile) Ehrenb. Thalassia bullata (Delile) Kunth Halophila balfourii Soler. Halophila madagascariensis Doty & B.C.Stone |
Halophila stipulacea is a species of seagrass in the Hydrocharitaceae family.[3] It is native to the Indian Ocean that spread into the Mediterranean after the opening of the Suez Canal. This seagrass is widespread through the Gulf of Aqaba.[4] Recently it has arrived in the Caribbean where it is also spreading.
Description
It is immediately recognizable from other European marine angiosperms due to its flattened leaves with petioles and pinnate veins (in all the others they are parallel). The leaves are up to 5–6 cm long and are no wider than 1 cm. The rhizome is very robust, thins at the insertion points of the leaves and has long but very superficial roots.
Distribution and habitat
This species is native to the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea from which it entered the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal ( Lessepsian migration ) [1] . In the Italian seas it is known on the Ionian coast of Sicily [3] , and in the lower Tyrrhenian ( Aeolian Islands [4] [5] , Palinuro [6] ).
It appears to be in clear expansion throughout the Mediterranean [7] . It populates shallow or very shallow waters, in places not too exposed to the fury of the waves.
Reproduction
Unlike the other Mediterranean marine angiosperms, this species blooms and bears fruit regularly every year and the abundant seeds are dispersed by the currents over very long distances.
Ecological role
It does not seem to compete with the other marine phanerogams nor does it accompany Posidonia oceanica or Cymodocea nodosa because it lives in shallower waters. However, it can be found together with green algae of the genus Caulerpa . It is an excellent colonizer and can occupy large areas in a very short time and then disappear when more highly competitive species arrive.
