Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Asch.

Spice Detail

Family: ZANNICHELLIACEAE

Genus: Cymodocea

Catalan common name: Algueró. Nimfa de les aigües marines.

Province distribution: Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Girona. Tarragona.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera. Cabrera. Dragonera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Some regions

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Hydrophyte.

Habitats: Marine depths. Marine beds since 10 m of depth.

Characteristics: An aquatic plant that colonises the marine bottom, although not too deep. Leaves are linear with a rounded apex, emerging in tufts at each underground rhizome. It is a superior plant with flowers but can be easily mistaken for an alga. Can be told apart from Posidonia oceanica as it never forms woody rhizomes and the leaves are very narrow.

Observations: Cymodocea nodosa has a colonising capacity far greater than Posidonia oceanica, and it can rapidly spread on the pales that it has been installed.