Flowering and seed production in the seagrass, Halodule wrightii (shoal grass)

What is it about?

Flowers, fruits, and seeds of the seagrass, Halodule wrightii are found at and below the sediment surface and typically only during spring months. We documented Halodule reproductive structures on several occasions at several sites over more than a decade in the Laguna Madre (USA). Sexual reproduction in seagrasses have been reported as infrequent, but sexual reproduction in H. wrightii is more common than previously believed and the seed bank reserve may contribute to its survival and ecological role as a colonizer of disturbed sediments.

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Why is it important?

Sexual reproduction in seagrasses has often been reported through the years as infrequent. Our findings show that Halodule wrightii in the Laguna Madre flowers and sets seed consistently over at least decades.

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