Field Guide to Seagrasses of the Red Sea - Seagrass-Watch

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Halophila ovata Gaudichaud Halophila ovata (Plate 1) is less common than Halophila ovalis, which is structurally similar. Published observations of this species in the Red Sea are from the Gulf of Suez (Jacobs & Dicks, 1985), from near Jeddah on the Saudi Arabian coastline (Aleem, 1979) and off the Yemeni coast (Barratt, et al., 1987). The Author has also collected this species from a range of sites in southern Egypt. Halophila ovata has been recorded in 20 m of water in the Gulf of Suez (Jacobs & Dicks, 1985), but it is probably more common in shallower waters (Jones, et al., 1987). Morphology Leaf The leaf blade is oval shaped (Plate 2), and ranges between 0.8-1.3 cm in length and 0.4-0.8 cm in width. There is no leaf sheath, but two scales cover the petiole base. There are 4-10 leaf veins, with a wide space between the cross veins that are unbranched. The leaf margin has smooth edges with no hairs on the leaf surface. Stem The petioles arise directly from the rhizome. 42
Rhizome The rhizome is smooth, thin and light-colored. Microscopic Leaf Anatomy Cells not in rows. Cells irregular in arrangement or have a “jigsaw” appearance. Similar Species • Halophila ovalis has a more elongated leaf blade and more cross veins. • Halophila decipiens has fine hairs on the leaf surface and the leaf blade is serrated. Key Features • Smooth leaf margin and no hairs on the leaf blade (Plate 3). • Oval shaped leaf blade, 0.8- 1.3 cm long and 0.4-0.8 cm wide (Plate 3). Diagnostic Features • Four to ten unbranched cross veins and wide space between the cross veins (Plate 3). Habitat Shallow Coastal/Back Reef Reef Deep Coastal Field Guide to Seagrasses of the Red Sea 43
Page 1: Seagrasses Field Guide to of the Re
Page 4 and 5: The designation of geographical ent
Page 7: Foreword The role of taxonomy in un
Page 10 and 11: viii
Page 12 and 13: history. Peter Forsskål, a Swedish
Page 14 and 15: Figure 1. Schematic map represents
Page 17 and 18: Shallow coastal habitat Seagrass me
Page 19 and 20: Bay (or Sharm) A Sharm is the Arabi
Page 21 and 22: An individual seagrass plant consis
Page 23 and 24: Cymodocea rotundata Ehrenberg & Hem
Page 25 and 26: Leaf tip Close-up area Two tips on
Page 27 and 28: Microscopic Leaf Anatomy Cells are
Page 29 and 30: Halodule pinifolia (Miki) den Harto
Page 31 and 32: Leaf blade Close-up area Leaf sheat
Page 33 and 34: Stem The stems are short, erect and
Page 35 and 36: Syringodium isoetifolium (Ascherson
Page 37 and 38: Cylindrical leaf blade Close-up are
Page 39 and 40: Microscopic Leaf Anatomy Cells are
Page 41 and 42: Wide flat leaf sheath Leaf scars on
Page 43 and 44: Enhalus acoroides (L.f.) Royle Enha
Page 45 and 46: Leaf blade Mag. 20x Close-up area (
Page 47 and 48: Microscopic Leaf Anatomy Cells angu
Page 49 and 50: Halophila ovalis (R. Brown) Hooker
Page 51: Dark colored dots Close-up area Ova
Page 55 and 56: Halophila stipulacea (Forsskål) As
Page 57 and 58: Leaf blade Mid vein Lopsided leaf s
Page 59 and 60: Microscopic Leaf Anatomy Cell shape
Page 61: Glossary Bullose: bulb-shaped or bu
Page 64 and 65: Lipkin, Y. (1977). ‘Seagrass vege
Page 66: About the Guide This guide answers

Field Guide to Seagrasses of the Red Sea - Seagrass-Watch

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?