# widgeongrass (*Ruppia maritima*) Widgeongrass is a special plant that grows in shallow waters. It has long, thin leaves that look like grass and provides food for many animals in the water. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![widgeongrass](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ruppiamaritima.jpg&width=800) Photo: Gordon Leppig & Andrea J. Pickart, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ruppiamaritima.jpg) ## Appearance The widgeongrass is a submerged aquatic plant with very slender, thread-like leaves, typically dark green to reddish-brown. It produces tiny, inconspicuous flowers and distinctive coiled or looped seed stalks that emerge near the water's surface. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Alismatales - **Family:** Ruppiaceae - **Genus:** Ruppia ## Interesting facts - Its tiny, abundant seeds are a superfood for thousands of migrating ducks and geese. - The plant creates vast underwater meadows, providing safe hideouts for tiny fish and bugs. - Widgeongrass can regrow from small fragments, helping it quickly spread across ponds and estuaries. - Widgeongrass helps clean murky water by trapping sediments and absorbing extra nutrients. ## Special abilities - **Salt Survivor:** Widgeongrass can thrive in both fresh and extremely salty water, helping it colonize diverse aquatic environments. - **Water Pollinator:** Its pollen is released and carried by water currents, allowing widgeongrass to reproduce entirely underwater. - **Bottom Gripper:** Widgeongrass has small rhizomes that anchor it firmly in soft mud or sand, helping it withstand water currents. - **Water Purifier:** It can absorb excess nutrients from the water, helping to improve water quality and clarity for other life. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-150 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.1-0.2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Water ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Mallard (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — Its abundant seeds are a favorite food. - **Eaten by:** [Mute Swan](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mute-swan) (*Cygnus olor*) — Grazes on its leaves and tender rhizomes. - **Shelter:** Mosquitofish (*Gambusia affinis*) — Dense beds provide refuge from larger fish. - **Shelter:** [Blue Crab](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-crab) (*Callinectes sapidus*) — Young crabs find refuge in its dense cover. ## Traits - [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves. - [Salt Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/salt-tolerant): Salt tolerant plants can withstand and grow in conditions with elevated salinity levels in the soil or water. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always stay close to an adult when exploring water areas. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify widgeongrass? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is widgeongrass? 30-150 cm ### How big are the flowers on widgeongrass? 0.1-0.2 cm ### When does widgeongrass bloom? Summer ### Is widgeongrass edible? Yes ### Is widgeongrass toxic? None ### What is widgeongrass's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is widgeongrass pollinated? Water ## Where to spot - [Crater Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/crater-historic-district) — Hawaii, US · Historic District - [Saladas de Chiprana Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/saladas-de-chiprana-nature-reserve) — Aragón, ES · Park - [Molentargius–Saline Regional Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/molentargiussaline-regional-nature-park) — IT · Park - [Porto Selvaggio and Palude del Capitano Regional Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/porto-selvaggio-and-palude-del-capitano-regional-nature-park) — IT · Park [View all places to see widgeongrass](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/widgeongrass) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Widgeongrass: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/widgeongrass)