Name
Oval-leafed Saltweed, Spoon Seagrass or Paddle Grass
Latin Name
Halophila ovalis
Habitat
Oval-leafed Saltweed is found on the lower parts of waterlogged intertidal sandbanks in estuaries, particularly where the water is brackish (halophila, 'salt-lover').
Description
Seagrass or Saltweed develops from underground creeping rhizomes that bear slender upright stalks, each with a single, flat, oval leaf reaching 40 mm in size.
Field Notes
Halophila ovalis is found in tropical and temperate waters on the coasts across much of the world where it grows in inter-tidal zones and up to depths of 12 meters. The plant is an important feed for the Dugong and is one of the premier pioneer species in disturbed areas.
