Ruppia maritima L.

Spice Detail In the field

Family: RUPPIACEAE

Genus: Ruppia

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

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

General distribution (Phytogeography): Cosmopolitan and subcosmopolitan

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Hydrophyte.

Habitats: Litoral marshes and riparian. Marshes and salt marshes.

Characteristics: Ruppia maritima is an herbaceous plant that lives submerged in areas with salt-water intrusion. Have elongate, narrow leaves that form a collar where they meet the stem. The inflorescences are found atop the plant on a long peduncle. This peduncle is more or less straight for this species, yet very curled for Ruppia cirrhosa, a similar species that frequents the same habitats. Flowers during the months of May and during the summer.