# Ruppia maritima

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Species of aquatic plant

Ruppia maritima Ruppia maritima Conservation status Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Embryophytes Clade: Tracheophytes Clade: Spermatophytes Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Monocots Order: Alismatales Family: Ruppiaceae Genus: Ruppia Species: R. maritima Binomial name Ruppia maritima L. Synonyms Ruppia brachypus J.Gay

***Ruppia maritima*** is an [aquatic plant](/source/Aquatic_plant) species commonly known as **beaked tasselweed**,**beaked ditchgrass**,[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] **ditch grass**, **tassel pondweed** and **widgeon grass**.[2] Despite its [scientific name](/source/Scientific_name), it is not a [marine plant](/source/Marine_biology); is perhaps best described as a [salt-tolerant](/source/Halophyte) [freshwater](/source/Freshwater) species.[3] The generic name *Ruppia* was dedicated by Linnaeus to the German botanist [Heinrich Bernhard Ruppius](/source/Heinrich_Bernhard_Ruppius) (1689–1719) and the specific name (maritima) translates to "of the sea".

## Distribution

It can be found throughout the world, most often in coastal areas, where it grows in [brackish water](/source/Brackish_water) bodies, such as [marshes](/source/Marsh). It is a dominant plant in a great many shoreline regions. It does not grow well in [turbid](/source/Turbidity) water or low-oxygen substrates.[4]

## Description

*Ruppia maritima* is a thread-thin, grasslike annual or perennial[3] herb which grows from a [rhizome](/source/Rhizome) anchored shallowly in the wet substrate. It produces a long, narrow, straight or loosely coiled [inflorescence](/source/Inflorescence) tipped with two tiny flowers. The plant often self-pollinates, but the flowers also release [pollen](/source/Pollen) that reaches other plants as it floats away on bubbles.[5]

The fruits are [drupelets](/source/Drupe). They are [dispersed](/source/Biological_dispersal) in the water and inside the digestive system of fish and waterbirds that eat them.[5] The plant also [reproduces vegetatively](/source/Vegetative_reproduction) by sprouting from its rhizome to form colonies.[5]

## Taxonomy and nomenclature

On the basis of molecular phylogenetic analyses, a species complex, named *R*. *maritima* complex, had been discerned,[6] which was then extended to include eight lineages,[7] or nine lineages.[8]

A lectotype for *[R. cirrhosa](/source/Ruppia_cirrhosa)* is designated and the name is shown to be a homotypic synonym of *R. maritima*.[9]

## Wetlands and wildlife

This plant and the epiphytic algae attached to the floating leaves can be an important part of the diet for selected herbivorous [waterfowl](/source/Waterfowl) species, but not important for predatory waterfowl that eat fish or invertebrate animals. In many areas, [wetlands restoration](/source/Restoration_ecology) begins with the recovery and protection of this plant.[10] By being planted in tandem with *[Zostera marina](/source/Zostera_marina)* in sections unsuitable for *Zostera*, *R. maritima* can synergistically assist in wetland restoration and combating [climate change](/source/Climate_change).[11]

## See also

- [Wetland indicator status](/source/Wetland_indicator_status)

- [Wetland conservation](/source/Wetland_conservation)

- [Wetland classification](/source/Wetland_classification)

- [Constructed wetland](/source/Constructed_wetland)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Short, F.T.; Carruthers, T.J.R.; Waycott, M.; Kendrick, G.A.; Fourqurean, J.W.; Callabine, A.; Kenworthy, W.J.; Dennison, W.C. (2010). ["*Ruppia maritima*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/164508/5897605). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2010** e.T164508A5897605. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T164508A5897605.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T164508A5897605.en). Retrieved 5 June 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [*English Names for Korean Native Plants*](https://web.archive.org/web/20170525105020/http://www.forest.go.kr/kna/special/download/English_Names_for_Korean_Native_Plants.pdf) (PDF). Pocheon: [Korea National Arboretum](/source/Korea_National_Arboretum). 2015. p. 614. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-89-97450-98-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-89-97450-98-5). Archived from [the original](http://www.forest.go.kr/kna/special/download/English_Names_for_Korean_Native_Plants.pdf) (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2016 – via [Korea Forest Service](/source/Korea_Forest_Service).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-class_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-class_3-1) Kantrud, H. A. (1991). [Classification and Distribution - Wigeongrass (*Ruppia maritima* L.): A literature review.](https://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/ruppia/class.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090914160319/http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/ruppia/class.htm) 2009-09-14 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-habitat_4-0)** Kantrud, H. A. (1991). [Habitat - Wigeongrass (*Ruppia maritima* L.): A literature review.](https://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/ruppia/habitat.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090914160000/http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/ruppia/habitat.htm) 2009-09-14 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-repro_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-repro_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-repro_5-2) Kantrud, H. A. (1991). [Development and Reproduction - Wigeongrass (*Ruppia maritima* L.): A literature review.](https://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/ruppia/develop.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090606163902/http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/ruppia/develop.htm) 2009-06-06 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Ito Y., T. Ohi-Toma, J. Murata & Nr. Tanaka (2010) [Hybridization and polyploidy of an aquatic plant, *Ruppia* (Ruppiaceae), inferred from plastid and nuclear DNA phylogenies](https://web.archive.org/web/20150628081601/http://www.amjbot.org/content/97/7/1156.short) *American Journal of Botany* **97:** 1156-1167

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Ito Y., T. Ohi-Toma, J. Murata & Nr. Tanaka (2013) [Comprehensive phylogenetic analyses of the *Ruppia* *maritima* complex focusing on taxa from the Mediterranean](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10265-013-0570-6) *Journal of Plant Research* **126:** 753-762

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Ito, Y., T. Ohi-Toma, Nr. Tanaka, J. Murata, A.M. Muasya (2015) [Phylogeny of Ruppia (Ruppiaceae) revisited: Molecular and morphological evidence for a new species from Western Cape, South Africa](http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1600/036364415X689988) *Systematic Botany* **40:** : 942-949

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Ito_et_al._2017_9-0)** Ito, Y., T. Ohi-Toma, C. Nepi, A. Santangelo, A. Stinca, N. Tanaka, & J. Murata (2017) [Towards a better understanding of the *Ruppia maritima* complex (Ruppiaceae): Notes on the correct application and typification of the names *R. cirrhosa* and *R. spiralis*](https://doi.org/10.12705/661.11) *[Taxon](/source/Taxon_(journal))* **66:** 167-171

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Kantrud, H. A. (1991). [Introduction - Wigeongrass (*Ruppia maritima* L.): A literature review.](https://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/ruppia/intro.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090914162301/http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/ruppia/intro.htm) 2009-09-14 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Hensel, Enie; Patrick, Christopher J.; Wilson, Stephanie J.; Song, Bongkeun; Reay, William G.; Orth, Robert J. (2024-04-29). ["Incorporating generalist seagrasses enhances habitat restoration in a changing environment"](https://doi.org/10.1111%2F1365-2664.14643). *Journal of Applied Ecology*. **61** (6): 1469–1480. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2024JApEc..61.1469H](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2024JApEc..61.1469H). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/1365-2664.14643](https://doi.org/10.1111%2F1365-2664.14643). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0021-8901](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0021-8901).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Ruppia maritima](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ruppia_maritima).

- [Jepson Manual Treatment - *Ruppia maritima*](http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?9353,9377,9379)

- [*Ruppia maritima* - Photo gallery](http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Ruppia+maritima)

Taxon identifiers Ruppia maritima Wikidata: Q164107 Wikispecies: Ruppia maritima AlgaeBase: 56991 AoFP: 2038 APA: 5181 APDB: 161571 APNI: 105090 BOLD: 291963 Calflora: 7239 CoL: 4TQPL eFloraSA: Ruppia_maritima EoL: 1089003 EPPO: RUPMA FloraBase: 114 FNA: 220011791 FoAO2: Ruppia maritima FoC: 220011791 FoIO: RUPMAR GBIF: 2864004 GRIN: 100969 IFPNI: F158EE7D-0DE5-97F8-8514-37EB9F84A185 iNaturalist: 61090 IPNI: 224565-2 IRMNG: 10197553 ITIS: 39063 IUCN: 164508 NatureServe: 2.149214 NBN: NHMSYS0021060370 NCBI: 29652 NSWFlora: Ruppia~maritima NTFlora: 5277 Observation.org: 2724 OBIS: 234031 Open Tree of Life: 814199 Paleobiology Database: 214119 PFI: 6725 Plant List: kew-308804 PLANTS: RUMA5 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:224565-2 SANBI: 3751-2 SeaLifeBase: 2380994 TaiCOL: t0055175 Tropicos: 26300130 VASCAN: 9037 VicFlora: 819d1279-60a5-42fc-a91f-85133f5e19f0 WoI: 1887 WFO: wfo-0000770081 WoRMS: 234031

Authority control databases National Israel Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ruppia maritima](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruppia_maritima) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruppia_maritima?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.