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Floristic Inventory of the Florida Keys Database Online

Thalassia testudinum Banks & Soland. ex Koenig
Turtle-grass

Thalassia testudinum
Copyright by: Janice Duquesnel

Family: Hydrocharitaceae

Group: Monocot

Substrate: Marine Aquatic

Habit: Herb

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Bermuda, southeastern United States, the West Indies, southern Mexico, Central America and northern South America.

IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Secure

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Not Cultivated

Comments: For images, click on the USDA PLANTS or Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants links below.

FLORIDA KEYS Occurrence: Present

FLORIDA KEYS Native Status: Native

IRC FLORIDA KEYS Status: Apparently Secure

Map of select IRC data for the Florida Keys

Florida Keys History and Distribution: Reported in 1913 by John Kunkel Small for shallow water from the upper Keys to the lower Keys.  We consider this native and extant throughout the Florida Keys.

Other data on Thalassia testudinum available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants

Thalassia testudinum has been reported from the following 12 conservation areas in the FLORIDA KEYS :
Occurrence Native Status
Bahia Honda State Park Present Native
Biscayne National Park, Florida Keys Section Present Native
Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge Present Native
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammocks Botanical State Park Present Native
Dry Tortugas National Park Present Native
Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge Present Native
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Present Native
Key West National Wildlife Refuge Present Native
Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park Present Native
Long Key State Park Present Native
National Key Deer Refuge Assumed to be Present Native
Sugarloaf Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native






All Images:

Thalassia testudinum
Copyright by: Janice Duquesnel
Thalassia testudinum
Copyright by: Janice Duquesnel
Thalassia testudinum