Zostera asiatica Miki on the Pacific Coast of North America

Abstract

Zostera asiatica Miki is reported from Tomales Bay to Santa Monica, California. It occurs from 5 to 17m below mean lower low water. Plants have wide blades (12.0 to 18.4 mm wide) with tips notched to deeply notched. Freshly collected. mature seeds have smooth seed coats. Flowering at most locations occurs in August; seeds occur in September and October. This is the first record of the species in the eastern Pacific and brings to six the number of sea grass species in the northeastern Pacific.