| Sea nymph or wire weed | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Amphibolis antarctica[1] | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Cymodoceaceae |
| Genus: | Amphibolis (Labillardière) Sonder & Ascherson ex Ascherson |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Amphibolis is agenus in thefamilyCymodoceaceae. It includes twospecies ofsea grassendemic to the western and southern coast ofAustralia,Amphibolis antarctica andAmphibolis griffithii, commonly known assea nymph orwire weed.
The seeds produce an anchoring comb of bristles while they mature on the female plant, giving the seedling a purchase when it arrives at a new site.
A type ofseagrass, the plants of thisgenus forms meadows on calcareous sands. These meadows, and their consequent detritus, become an important source of food and shelter for a number of marine species. The interweaving roots and leaves consolidate the substrate of the ocean floor, protecting it from erosion by currents and wave action.[citation needed]
There are two species:[2]
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