| Syringodium isoetifolium | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Syringodium isoetifolium bending under the swell inRéunion. | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Cymodoceaceae |
| Genus: | Syringodium |
| Species: | S. isoetifolium |
| Binomial name | |
| Syringodium isoetifolium | |
Syringodium isoetifolium, commonly known asnoodle seagrass,[3] is aspecies of flowering plant in the familyCymodoceaceae, growing underwater in marine habitats. It formsseagrass meadows in shallow sandy or muddy locations in theIndian andPacific Oceans.
Syringodium isoetifolium can grow to a length of 50 cm (20 in) in single species stands, but may only reach 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in) when growing with other seagrass species. The plant has slender undergroundrhizomes which send up shoots at intervals. The shoots are encased in a sheath at the base and each consists of two or three hollow, tubular leaves with smooth pointed tips. In calm waters, the shoots may be long and branched. Theinflorescence is acyme, with male and female flowers appearing on separate plants. The fruits are small, hard, beaked nuts. The plant is somewhat fragile; leaves may float when they break off, and so may the seed heads, often floating well away from the original location before the seeds germinate.[3]
This seagrass is sensitive to light deprivation and a lowering ofsalinity in its environment. In a major flooding event inQueensland, half the seagrasses were lost in a shallow study area inMoreton Bay, theSyringodium isoetifolium disappearing almost completely whileZostera muelleri and other seagrass species survived, relatively unaffected.[4] Another Australian study examined the likelihood ofSyringodium isoetifolium becoming invasive if its range changed as a result of climate change. In this experiment, a small patch ofSyringodium isoetifolium was established in a tropical subtidal area, and the area covered by the plant increased in size by 800% in a fifteen-year period, mostly through clonal growth.[5]
Marine fouling causes much economic loss from organisms growing on the hulls of ships, pipelines and other submerged structures. Seagrasses have developed defence mechanisms against suchepibionts, and few fouling organisms grow on them. Amethanolic extract ofSyringodium isoetifolium was assessed as a natural antifouling agent.[6] It was found to inhibit growth ofmicroalgae andbiofilm bacteria, as well as the limpetPatella vulgata and the brown musselPerna perna, all of which cause marine fouling.[6] The extract was non-toxic tobrine shrimps and showed promise as an agent to replace the toxic chemicals that have been used historically. Thesecondary metabolites involved seem to be fatty acids in the range C16 to C24.[6]
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)