Amphibolis antarctica
Encyclopedia
Amphibolis antarctica, commonly known as Wire weed or Sea Nymph, is a seagrass
found in coastal waters of southern and western Australia.
species, A. griffithii
. Its flowers are green, and appear from September to February.
in 1807, it has since been moved into numerous genera. It was named Caulinia antarctica by Robert Brown
in 1810, Posidonia antarctica by C. P. J. Sprengel in 1824, Cymodocea antarctica by C. S. Kunth in 1841, and Phucagrostis antarctica by F. J. Ruprecht in 1852. It was finally placed in Amphibolis
by Paul Friedrich August Ascherson
in 1868, but in 1913 J. M. Black renamed it Pectinella antarctica. Since 1977 it is widely accepted as belonging to Amphibolis.
on the north-west coast of Western Australia
, south along the west coast and east along the south coast as far as Wilsons Promontory
in Victoria
. However FloraBase
reports an isolated specimen record from east of Port Hedland
, over 500 kilometres north-east of Exmouth Gulf.
It occur primarily in the sublittoral zone, where it forms extensive meadow
s. It can occur as deep as 27 metres, but does not often form meadows below 13 metres. It can also grow in extremely shallow waters, with its leaves floating on the surface, although this often results in leaf damage and loss. The species tolerates a range of habitats. It has been found growing on a variety of substrates, including sand-covered rock, gravel, sand and clay. It grows in areas of both high and low water flow, and occurs in areas of very high salinity.
Seagrass
Seagrasses are flowering plants from one of four plant families , all in the order Alismatales , which grow in marine, fully saline environments.-Ecology:...
found in coastal waters of southern and western Australia.
Description
It is a herbaceous perennial up to 80 centimetres high. It has shorter leaves than the other AmphibolisAmphibolis
Amphibolis is a genus in the family Cymodoceaceae. It includes two species of sea grass endemic to the western and southern coast of Australia, Amphibolis antarctica and Amphibolis griffithii, commonly known as sea nymph or wire weed...
species, A. griffithii
Amphibolis griffithii
Amphibolis griffithii is a seagrass found in waters along the southwestern coasts of Western Australia. -Description:A common marine herb, the rhizomatous plant forms meadows which stabilise sands; the intertwining roots and leaves protects the substrate from ocean currents...
. Its flowers are green, and appear from September to February.
Taxonomy
First published as Ruppia antarctica by Jacques LabillardièreJacques Labillardière
Jacques-Julien Houtou de Labillardière was a French naturalist noted for his descriptions of the flora of Australia. Labillardière was a member of a voyage in search of the La Pérouse expedition...
in 1807, it has since been moved into numerous genera. It was named Caulinia antarctica by Robert Brown
Robert Brown (botanist)
Robert Brown was a Scottish botanist and palaeobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope...
in 1810, Posidonia antarctica by C. P. J. Sprengel in 1824, Cymodocea antarctica by C. S. Kunth in 1841, and Phucagrostis antarctica by F. J. Ruprecht in 1852. It was finally placed in Amphibolis
Amphibolis
Amphibolis is a genus in the family Cymodoceaceae. It includes two species of sea grass endemic to the western and southern coast of Australia, Amphibolis antarctica and Amphibolis griffithii, commonly known as sea nymph or wire weed...
by Paul Friedrich August Ascherson
Paul Friedrich August Ascherson
Paul Friedrich August Ascherson was a German botanist. His author citation is Asch., although Aschers. has been used in the past....
in 1868, but in 1913 J. M. Black renamed it Pectinella antarctica. Since 1977 it is widely accepted as belonging to Amphibolis.
Distribution and habitat
The species is generally reported as occurring from Exmouth GulfExmouth Gulf
Exmouth Gulf is a gulf in the north west of Western Australia. It lies between North West Cape and the main coastline of Western Australia. It is considered to be part of the region of the North West Shelf and in the Canning Basin area.-Environment:...
on the north-west coast of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, south along the west coast and east along the south coast as far as Wilsons Promontory
Wilsons Promontory
Wilsons Promontory is a peninsula that forms the southernmost part of the Australian mainland and is located at . South Point at is the southernmost tip of Wilsons Promontory and hence of mainland Australia...
in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. However FloraBase
FloraBase
FloraBase is a public access web-based database of the flora of Western Australia. It provides authoritative scientific information on 12,978 taxa, including descriptions, maps, images, conservation status and nomenclatural details...
reports an isolated specimen record from east of Port Hedland
Port Hedland, Western Australia
Port Hedland is the highest tonnage port in Australia and largest town in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, with a population of approximately 14,000 ....
, over 500 kilometres north-east of Exmouth Gulf.
It occur primarily in the sublittoral zone, where it forms extensive meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
s. It can occur as deep as 27 metres, but does not often form meadows below 13 metres. It can also grow in extremely shallow waters, with its leaves floating on the surface, although this often results in leaf damage and loss. The species tolerates a range of habitats. It has been found growing on a variety of substrates, including sand-covered rock, gravel, sand and clay. It grows in areas of both high and low water flow, and occurs in areas of very high salinity.