Cymodocea K.D.Koenig

Dioecious. Rhizome creeping, herbaceous, monopodial with many vascular bundles in the cortical layer, and at each node with 1-5 more or less branched roots and a short erect stem bearing 2-7 leaves; internodes 1-6 cm long; scales scarious, ovate, with many tannin cells. Leaf sheath compressed, amplexicaulous or almost amplexicaulous, bi-auriculate and ligulate, 1.5-10 cm long, scarious flaps covered with numerous tannin cells, persisting longer than the leaf blade, leaving an open or a closed circular scar when shed, so giving the stem an annular appearance. Leaf blade linear, often narrowed at the base, with many tannin cells; margin entire, but serrulate or spinulose near the tip; nerves 7-17, all joining the intramarginal nerves at the apex; between each pair of nerves several very fine, parallel accessory veins; cross veins perpendicular; tip obtuse or sometimes emarginate, more or less distinctly toothed. ‘Flower’ solitary and terminal, enclosed in a leaf similar to the others, a bud in the axil of the penultimate leaf developing into the prolongation of the main axis (sympodium). Male ‘flower’ stalked, consisting of 2 anthers, which are dorsally connate and attached at the same height on the stalk. Female ‘flower’ sessile or shortly stalked, consisting of 2 free ovaries each with a short style divided into 2 loriform stigmata. Fruit with a stony pericarp, semi-circular to semi-ovate or elliptic, laterally compressed, with dorsal ridges and a beak.