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Wigeongrass or Widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima)
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Wigeongrass (Ruppia maritima) can tolerate a wide range of salinities.
Courtesy: Ronald C. Phillips |
What type of habitat does wigeongrass prefer?
Widgeongrass grows in shallow coastal and inland waters that range from saline
systems to freshwater systems. This species grows in a variety of substrate
types up to 4.5 meters deep.
Where can it be found in the coastal U.S.?
Wigeongrass is widespread throughout the coastal U.S.
What does wigeongrass look like?
Wigeongrass has very thin, thread-like leaves with a pointed tip. These leaves
are typically 1 millimeter wide and less than 20 centimeters long.
Why is it an important benthic species?
Many species of waterfowl are dependent on this species as a source of food
and foraging ground.
Did you know…?
This plant behaves as an annual in cold or variable climates. As an annual,
it dies back completely each year and returns by seed. In warmer or stable
climates, the plant behaves as a perennial species. Perennials live year
round and primarily depend on the spreading of roots and rhizomes for growth
and survival. These plants may lose their leaves during the fall and the
roots and rhizomes overwinter in the sediments.
Where can I find more information?
Reference
Kantrud, Harold A. 1991. Wigeongrass (Ruppia maritima L.): A literature
Review. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fish and Wildlife Research 10.
Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/ruppia/index.htm (Version 16JUL97).
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