Seagrass

Common Name

Seagrass

Scientific Name

Zostera marina

Kingdom

Plantae

Order

Alismatales

Family

Hydrocharitaceae (Frogbit family), Cymodoceaceae

Habitat

Seagrass grows on both temperate and tropical locations. Seagrass is a masking place to marine life such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, clams, worms, starfish, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, and many other sea creatures.

Uses

Historically seagrasses were collected as fertilizer for sandy soil. This was an important use in the Ria de Aveiro, Portugal, where the plants collected were known as moliço. Some human uses of seagrasses are as weaving material for dolls, mats, and baskets (especially Zostera and Thallasia by native Americans). The Misquito people of Nicaragua also ate the seeds of Thallasia.

Size

2 m(6 1/2 foot)

Types

Amphibolis antarctica, Posidonia australis, Halodule uninervis, Cymodocea angustata, Cymodocea serrulata, Halophila decipiens, Halophila ovalis, Halophila minor, Halophila spinulosa, Posidonia coriacea, Syringodium isoetifolium

Edible

The entire part of the plant, also eat the lengthy salty-tasting grass. Seagrass Roots - uncooked otherwise cooked

Color

Green