| Halophila decipiens | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Hydrocharitaceae |
| Genus: | Halophila |
| Species: | H. decipiens |
| Binomial name | |
| Halophila decipiens | |
Halophila decipiens, commonly known as paddle grass, is a seagrass species found in tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Indo-Pacific. [3]
Halophila Decipiens have oval-shaped leaves lined with serrated edges that typically grow to a length of 1-2.5cm. [3] The leaves are covered in minute hairs [4] and stem from rhizomes that create branching networks of these plants on the seafloor. The rhizomes are thin, white, and slightly thicker than the roots of the plant. Unlike other seagrass genus's, Halophila species lack basal sheaths, which are casings that wrap around the base of the seagrass stem. [3]
Halophila decipiens has a global distribution. It is most commonly found in suptropical and tropical environments where it creates meadows near reefs or sandy habitat. It grows in water deeper than 50m, except in the areas of southern Australia and southern Mozambique, where it is found near the shallow entrances of open estuaries . [4]
Halophila Decipiens are a monoecious species, meaning the male and female flowers occur at the base of the same stem. The male flower develops first, producing pollen with no exine. The female flower develops after, occasionally growing into green fruits containing up to 30 seeds. Flowering occurs in January, followed by fruiting and eventually germination of seeds in the late spring. [4]
Seagrass beds act as a habitat and breeding ground for various other organisms. They are an important source of food for sea urchins, sea turtles, parrotfish, and surgeonfish. Halophila decipiens are an ephemeral and annual plant whose population dies in late autumn and recovers with the germination of seeds in the spring. [3] They can often be seen in mixed meadows that also contain Halophila ovalis and Halophila spinulosa. [4]
