Thalassia testudinum Banks & Sol. ex K.D.Koenig
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.
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Family
Hydrocharitaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Submersed clonal, marine herb. Leaves 2-5 per tuft, 4-50 cm long, 4-12 mm wide, minutely serrulate at the obtuse to rounded apex; sheaths 5-10 cm long. Flowers white; staminate spathe 2 - 4 cm long; tepals 7-10 mm long; stamens 9, the anthers oblong to linear-oblong, 7-10 mm long; pistillate spathe 1.5-2.5 cm long; ovary 1 cm long; styles 7 or 8. Fruit ellipsoid to widely ellipsoid or globose, 1.4-2 cm long, 1.2-2 cm wide, manrmillate, the beak 3-6 mm long. Seeds 2-3, pyriform, to 10 mm long.
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Discussion
Common name: turtle-grass.
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Distribution
Forming large colonies or prairies in shallow water of bays, beaches, and near reefs around the island. Fish Bay (Acevedo-Rdgz. s.n.). Also on Anegada, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda; southern United States, Central America, West Indies, and northern South America.
South America| West Indies| Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Central America| United States of America North America| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| Tortola Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America|