Zosteraceae
Zostera

Zostera marina L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 968 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Temp. & Subtropical Northern Hemisphere. It is a rhizomatous hydrogeophyte and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Distribution

Native to:

Alaska, Aleutian Is., Algeria, Baleares, Baltic States, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bermuda, British Columbia, Bulgaria, California, Central American Pacific Is., China North-Central, Connecticut, Corse, Delaware, Denmark, East Aegean Is., Finland, France, Føroyar, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Greenland, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kamchatka, Khabarovsk, Korea, Kriti, Krym, Labrador, Magadan, Maine, Manchuria, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mexican Pacific Is., Mexico Northwest, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New York, Newfoundland, North Carolina, North Caucasus, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, Norway, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, NW. Balkan Pen., Ontario, Oregon, Poland, Portugal, Primorye, Prince Edward I., Québec, Rhode I., Romania, Sakhalin, Sardegna, Sicilia, South European Russia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine, Virginia, Washington, Yukon

Synonyms

Homotypic Synonyms

Heterotypic Synonyms

Classification

Kew's Tree of Life Explorer

Discover the flowering plant tree of life and the genomic data used to build it.

View the Tree of Life
PAFTOL

Publications

POWO follows these authorities in accepting this name:

  • Britton, N. (1918). Flora of Bermuda: 1-585. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York.
  • Castroviejo, S. & al. (eds.) (2010). Flora Iberica 17: 1-298. Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Madrid.
  • Chang, C.S., Kim, H. & Chang, K.S. (2014). Provisional checklist of vascular plants for the Korea peninsula flora (KPF): 1-660. DESIGNPOST.
  • Coyer, J.A., Hoarau, G.,Kuo, J. , Tronholm, A., Veldsink, J. & Olsen, J. L. (2013). Phylogeny and temporal divergence of the seagrass family Zosteraceae using one nuclear and three chloroplast loci. Systematics and Biodiversity 11: 271-284.
  • Davis, P.H. (ed.) (1984). Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands 8: 1-632. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
  • Den Hartog, C. (1970). The sea-grasses of the world. Verhandelingen der Koninklijke Nederlandsche Akademie van Wetenschappen, Afdeeling Natuurkunde, Tweede Sectie 59(1): 1-275.
  • Dimopoulos, P., Raus, T., Bergmeier, E., Constantinidis, T., Iatrou, G., Kokkini, S., Strid, A., & Tzanoudakis, D. (2013). Vascular plants of Greece. An annotated checklist: 1-372. Botanic gardens and botanical museum Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin and Hellenic botanical society, Athens.
  • Dobignard, D. & Chatelain, C. (2010). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 1: 1-455. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
  • Espejo Serena, A. & López-Ferrari, A.R. (2000). Las Monocotiledóneas Mexicanas una Sinopsis Florística 1(9-11): 1-337. Consejo Nacional de la Flora de México, México D.F.
  • Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2000). Flora of North America North of Mexico 22: 1-352. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.
  • Guinea, E. (1948). Catálogo razonado de las plantas del Sáhara Español. Anales del Jardin Botanico de Madrid 8: 357-429.
  • Hassler, M. & Muer, T. (2022). Flora Germanica: alle Farn- und Blütenpflanzen Deutschlands in Text und Bild 1: 1-864. Verlag Regionalkultur, Uberstadt-Weiher.
  • Iwatsuki, K., Boufford, D.E. & Ohba, H. (eds.) (2020). Flora of Japan IVa: 1-430. Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo.
  • Knapp, W.M. & Naczi, R.F.C. (2021). Vascular plants of Maryland, USA. A comprehensive account of the state's botanical diversity. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 113: 1-151.
  • Kozhevnikov, A.E., Kozhevnikov, Z.V., Kwak, M. & Lee, B.Y. (2019). Illustrated flora of the Primorsky Territory, Russian Far East: 1-1124. National institute of biological resources.
  • Kress, W.J., DeFilipps, R.A., Farr, E. & Kyi, D.Y.Y. (2003). A Checklist of the Trees, Shrubs, Herbs and Climbers of Myanmar. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 45: 1-590.
  • Kuo, J. & de Hertog, C. (2001). Seagrass taxonomy and identification key. Global Seagrass Research Methods: 31-78. Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam.
  • Lee, W.T. (1996). Lineamenta Florae Koreae: 1-1688. Soul T'ukpyolsi: Ak'ademi Sojok.
  • Mirek, Z., Piękoś-Mirkowa, H., Zając, A. & Zając, M (2020). Vascular plants of Poland an annotated checklist: 1-526. W. Szafer institute of botany, Polish academy of sciences, Krakow, Poland.
  • Moran, R. (1996). The flora of Guadalupe island, Mexico. Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences 19: 1-190.
  • Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
  • Ohwi, J. (1984). Flora of Japan (in English): 1-1067. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
  • Pasha, M.K. & Uddin, S.B. (2013). Dictionary of plant names of Bangladesh, Vasc. Pl.: 1-434. Janokalyan Prokashani, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
  • Smitinand, T. & Larsen, K. (eds.) (1978). Flora of Thailand 1: 1-694. The Forest Herbarium, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok.
  • Stace, C. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles ed. 4: 1-1266. C & M Floristics.
  • Stalažs, A. (2024). List of vascular plants of Latvia (with Latvian names): 1-312. Dobele.
  • Takhtajan, A.L. (ed.) (2006). Konspekt Flora Kavkaza 2: 1-466. Editio Universitatis Petropolitanae.
  • Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1980). Flora Europaea 5: 1-452. Cambridge University Press.
  • Villaseñor, J.L. (2016). Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 87: 559-902.
  • Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2010). Flora of China 23: 1-515. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Britton, N. (1918). Flora of Bermuda: 1-585. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York.
  • Davis, P.H. (ed.) (1984). Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands 8: 1-632. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
  • Den Hartog, C. (1970). The sea-grasses of the world. Verhandelingen der Koninklijke Nederlandsche Akademie van Wetenschappen, Afdeeling Natuurkunde, Tweede Sectie 59(1): 1-275.
  • Espejo Serena, A. & López-Ferrari, A.R. (2000). Las Monocotiledóneas Mexicanas una Sinopsis Florística 1(9-11): 1-337. Consejo Nacional de la Flora de México, México D.F.
  • Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2000). Flora of North America North of Mexico 22: 1-352. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.
  • Kharkevich, S.S. (ed.) (1987). Plantae Vasculares Orientalis Extremi Sovietici 2: 1-448. Nauka, Leningrad.
  • Kress, W.J., DeFilipps, R.A., Farr, E. & Kyi, D.Y.Y. (2003). A Checklist of the Trees, Shrubs, Herbs and Climbers of Myanmar. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 45: 1-590.
  • Lee, W.T. (1996). Lineamenta Florae Koreae: 1-1688. Soul T'ukpyolsi: Ak'ademi Sojok.
  • Maire, R. (1952). Flore de l'Afrique du Nord 1: 1-366. Paul Lechevalier, Paris.
  • Meades, S.J. & Brouillet, L. (2019). Annotated Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Newfoundland and Labrador https://newfoundland-labradorflora.ca/checklist/.
  • Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
  • Ohwi, J. (1984). Flora of Japan (in English): 1-1067. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
  • Pasha, M.K. & Uddin, S.B. (2013). Dictionary of plant names of Bangladesh, Vasc. Pl.: 1-434. Janokalyan Prokashani, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
  • Sachet, M.-H. (1962). Flora and vegetation of Clipperton island. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, IV, 31: 249-307.
  • Smitinand, T. & Larsen, K. (eds.) (1978). Flora of Thailand 1: 1-694. The Forest Herbarium, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok.
  • Takhtajan, A.L. (ed.) (2006). Konspekt Flora Kavkaza 2: 1-466. Editio Universitatis Petropolitanae.
  • Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1980). Flora Europaea 5: 1-452. Cambridge University Press.
  • Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2010). Flora of China 23: 1-515. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.

Other Data

Other Kew resources that provide information on this taxon:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Cotton, A.D. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085630 No
Kitamura, S. [215] Japan K003085700 No
Lüderwaldt, A. [s.n.] Poland K003085575 No
Lindeberg, C.J. [83] K003085587 No
Lowne, B.T. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085538 No
s.coll. [s.n.] K003085566 No
Moseley [s.n.] Japan K003085702 No
Detharding [s.n.] K003085573 No
Rosenberg, C.F. [s.n.] K003085608 No
Borgesen [s.n.] K003085588 No
[K. V. C. Dahlgren] [s.n.] Sweden K003085582 No
Jackson, A.K. [78] United Kingdom K003085637 No
s.coll. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085558 No
s.coll. [s.n.] K003085633 No
Mann, R.J. [1135] United Kingdom K003085560 No
s.coll. [s.n.] K003085606 No
s.coll. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085551 No
Townsend, C.C.; Tutin, T.G. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085536 No
[Carlz] [s.n.] K003085568 No
s.coll. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085623 No
Hutchins, J. United Kingdom K:SPC-22039.000 No
Huter [s.n.] K003085580 No
Hunt, P.F. [1526] United Kingdom K003085615 No
Sandwith, N.Y. [4057] Ireland K003085626 No
Hansen, L. [s.n.] K003085579 No
s.coll. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085636 No
s.coll. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085622 No
Melville, R. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085555 No
Iwatsuki, K.; Konta, F. [20] Japan K003085701 No
Komarov, V.L. [s.n.] K003085695 No
Lindeberg, C.J. [83] K003085584 No
Turner, D. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085559 No
Clarke, C.B. [611] United Kingdom K003085542 No
Thurston, E. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085549 No
Hall, P.M. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085556 No
van Doesburg, P.H.; Leeuwenberg, A.J.M. [s.n.] K003085572 No
Ward, C.J. [9634] United Kingdom K003085613 No
[Breset] [s.n.] K003085609 No
[Foro] [s.n.] K003085605 No
Borrer [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085652 No
Town, J. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085540 No
Hilton, T. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085655 No
Fellman, N.I. [s.n.] K003085594 No
Ström, I. [s.n.] Finland K003085590 No
Trapnell, C.G. [211] Greenland K000499509 Yes
Trapnell, C.G. [211] Greenland K000499510 Yes
[Bench. Lundberg] [s.n.] Sweden K003085611 No
Durieu [s.n.] Spain K003085571 No
Huter [s.n.] K003085586 No
Smith, N.J.G. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085616 No
Polunin; Newbold [47] Ireland K003085625 No
Brenan, J.P.M. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085554 No
[Jofe Coash] [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085618 No
[Divmer] [s.n.] K003085576 No
Johnston, H.H. [3682] United Kingdom K003085619 No
Brenan, J.P.M. [5027] Ireland K003085624 No
[K. V. C. Dahlgren] [s.n.] K003085583 No
Worsdell, W.C. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085561 No
s.coll. [s.n.] K003085631 No
[H. Montford]; Carter, N. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085563 Yes
Lousley, J.E. [330] United Kingdom K003085541 No
Borgesen [s.n.] K003085589 No
Fellman, N.I. [s.n.] K003085595 No
Townsend, C.C. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085539 No
Gamble, J.S. [29999] United Kingdom K003085543 No
Hansen, L. [s.n.] K003085577 No
Balansa, B. [s.n.] K003085678 No
Propp, L.; Propp, M. [s.n.] K003085697 No
Turril, W.B. [4577] United Kingdom K003085557 No
Dieuzeide [s.n.] Algeria K003085686 No
Gamble, J.S. [26367] Ireland K003085627 No
{Challenger Exp.} [s.n.] Japan K003085703 No
Hooker [s.n.] K003085569 No
Citarda [800] Italy K003085601 No
Pichler, T. [s.n.] K003085593 No
Plengiér, H. [s.n.] Sweden K003085610 No
Meikle, R.D. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085628 No
Townsend, C.C. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085552 No
s.coll. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085565 No
Babington, C.C. [133] K003085596 No
Babington, C.C. [s.n.] K003085592 No
Borza, A. [s.n.] Romania K003085600 No
Enculescu, P. [s.n.] Romania K003085604 No
Areschoug, J. [s.n.] K003085585 No
McTaggart Cowan Jr. [69] United Kingdom K003085617 No
s.coll. [1714] United Kingdom K003085535 No
Ström, I. [423] Finland K003085591 No
Sinten, P.; Bornmuller, A. [1129] K003085599 No
Sarma [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085635 No
Collett, R. [s.n.] Norway K003085581 No
s.coll. [s.n.] K003085567 No
Stojanoff, N. [s.n.] K003085597 No
Palmér, J.E. [1079] Sweden K003085612 No
s.coll. [s.n.] K003085574 No
Durieu [s.n.] K003085620 No
s.coll. [s.n.] K003085578 No
Duffour, Ch. [s.n.] K003085607 No
Arnott [s.n.] K003085570 No
Smith, N.J.G. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085614 No
Kanai, H. [6462] Japan K003085699 No
Brenan, J.P.M. [9723] United Kingdom K003085553 No
[C. H. Osunford]; [Mrs Cruster] [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085634 No
Propp, L.; Propp, M. [s.n.] K003085696 No
Hume, A.O. [1723] United Kingdom K003085550 No
Montford, H.M.; Turrill, W.B. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085546 No
Simpson, N.D. [371207] United Kingdom K003085545 No
Sintenis, P.; Bornmuller, J. [1129] K003085602 No
Montford, H.M.; Turrill, W.B. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085548 No
Montford, H.M.; Turrill, W.B. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085547 No
[W. Wilson] [s.n.] K003085621 Yes
Sintenis, P.; Bornmueller, J. [1129] K003085598 No
Wallace, E.C. [1856] United Kingdom K003085562 No
[Stenford] [1345] Japan K003085698 No
Citarda [800] K003085603 No
s.coll. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085632 No
[H. Y. Evrings.] [s.n.] Ireland K003085564 No
Brenan, J.P.M. [9723] United Kingdom K003085544 No
Townsend, C.C.; Tutin, T.G. [s.n.] United Kingdom K003085537 No
Caldwell, H.L. United Kingdom Zostera angustifolia K:SPC-06922.000 No
Simpson, N.D. [371209] United Kingdom Zostera hornemanniana K003085673 No
Brenan, J.P.M. [5028] United Kingdom Zostera hornemanniana K003085668 No
Townsend, C.C.; Tutin, T.G. [s.n.] United Kingdom Zostera hornemanniana K003085671 No
Brenan, J.P.M. [5024] United Kingdom Zostera hornemanniana K003085669 No
H.F.D. [740/] United Kingdom Zostera hornemanniana K003085672 No
Brenan, J.P.M. [5024] United Kingdom Zostera hornemanniana K003085670 No
Parks, H.E. [0352] United States Zostera marina f. sulcatifolia K000203474 Isotype Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085662 No
[NDL] [s.n.] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085640 No
Groall, A. [s.n.] Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085664 No
[F. J. Boswell] [1246/6] Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085658 No
Worsdell, W.C. [s.n.] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085653 No
Hume, A.O. [s.n.] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085661 No
[illegible] [6] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085647 No
Vachell, E. [s.n.] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085657 No
Johnston, H.H. [3685] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085666 No
Hall, P.M. [1294] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085660 No
Wilson [s.n.] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085665 No
Butcher, R.W. [5] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085645 No
[A.V.W.] [s.n.] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085654 No
Butcher, R.W. [3] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085642 No
Butcher, R.W. [1] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085644 No
Ferguson, L.F.; Ferguson, I.K. [3491] Ireland Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085667 No
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [4602] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085648 No
More, A.G. [s.n.] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085641 No
s.coll. [4602] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085651 No
Butcher, R.W. [4] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085646 No
s.coll. [4602] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085649 No
Butcher, R.W. [2] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085643 No
Airy Shaw, H.K. [s.n.] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085656 No
s.coll. [4602] United Kingdom Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085650 No
Bowler [s.n.] Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085659 Yes
Storey, J. [s.n.] Zostera marina var. angustifolia K003085663 No

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • EBC Common Names

    • Common Names from Kew's Economic Botany Collection https://www.kew.org/science/collections-and-resources/collections/economic-botany-collection

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images