Zostera marina

9.4

A sea plant with long narrow leaves that grows underwater and forms beds where fish and small animals live

noun

: zostera marina

The bay has a firm sand-clay-shell bottom with eelgrass, Zostera marina, growing in higher salinity regions.
Zostera marina (eelgrass)

Examples

Many fish seek shelter among the long leaves of Zostera marina in the shallow waters.
The underwater meadow was lush with Zostera marina, providing a habitat for various marine species.
Becheler et al. 2010 Zostera marina 9 Regional 220-2300 328 328 1.00 0.55 0.57 0.16

Academic text (2012)
During our coastal exploration, we noticed many beds of Zostera marina along the shore.

Synonyms

eelgrass

vsZostera marina

1 8.1

A long plant with narrow leaves that grows underwater and forms meadows for fish

is the scientific name for the same plant used in formal or regional descriptions

How Common

seagrass

2 5.4

Zostera marina

9.4

Surface Forms

Zostera marina singular

Zostera marinas plural

Morphology

Zostera + marina

The binomial is compositional: 'Zostera' denotes a coastal marine grass genus and 'marina' (Latin-derived) means 'of the sea' or 'marine', so the combined form clearly signals a marine Zostera (eelgrass). Scientific Latin binomials follow predictable genus + species patterns, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Zostera marina may come from old words that mean a 'belt' and 'of the sea'. The first part, Zostera, suggests a long ribbon or belt and the second part, marina, means 'of the sea', so the name gives the image of long green leaves floating like a belt in the water and explains why it is a sea plant (eelgrass).