Thalassodendron ciliatum | |
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Thalassodendron ciliatum | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Monocots |
Order: | Alismatales |
Family: | Cymodoceaceae |
Genus: |
Thalassodendron Hartog |
Species: | Thalassodendron ciliatum |
Synonyms | |
Cymodocea ciliata (Forsk.) Ehr. ex Aschers |
Cymodocea ciliata (Forsk.) Ehr. ex Aschers
Thalassodendron ciliatum, the sickle-leaved cymodocea, is a species of plant in the Thalassodendron genus of seagrasses in the family Cymodoceaceae.
Thalassodendron ciliatum has a wide distribution throughout the Indo-Pacific region, but has variable abundances throughout its range. This seagrass has been recorded from the western Philippines to Borneo and Singapore, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Caroline Islands, Vanuatu, Australia, India and the Maldives. It is also common from the Gulf of Oman to the Red Sea down to South Africa, Madagascar, the Seychelles, the Comores, the Mascarenes and parts of Malesia and the Solomon Islands.
This species is susceptible to intense grazing by sea urchins. Anthropogenic stressors on this species include coastal development, pollution, eutrophication, seaweed farming, beach seines and drag net trawling.
Red or red striped leaves, Linear and falcate.10–15 cm long and 6-13mm wide with an average width of 10mm, Leaf margins are almost entire with serrations visible towards the tip, Leaf sheath is wide and compressed and measuring 15-30mm long and appears pink in color.
Thick, well-developed rhizome up to 0.5 cm thick with the mat formed by the rhizome approximately 5–10 cm thick. One to two stems are present at every fourth internode along the rhizome, the first stem is either unbranched or slightly branched and 10–65 cm long while The second stem is usually under-developed, if present, and in the form of a bud. Roots occur in groups of 1-5 and range from slightly to highly branched and occur on the internode before the stem.