Description: This is a green, grass-like, marine flowering plant that can form dense meadows in the correct conditions. The tips of the blades have a distinctive notch which helps distinguish this species from Zostera marina. Zostera noltii usually occurs intertidally. Eelgrass can reproduce asexually, spreading via rhizomes but can also flower and produce seeds.

Habitat: Usually intertidally in shallow, sheltered areas not subject to a lot of wave action e.g. sheltered inlets and bays. Usually prefers sand or muddy sand.

Distribution: Recorded all around Britain and Ireland where there is suitable habitat.

Similar Species: Could potentially be confused with Zostera marina but Nanoostera noltii is much more fine and usually intertidal, while Zostera marina has a more robust blade and usually occurs subtidally. Nanozostera noltii also has a characteristic notch at the tip of its blade, whereas Zostera marina has a rounded tip.

Key Identification Features:

• Green, grass-like marine plant.
• Intertidal habitat preference.
• Distinctive notch on tip of blade.

Distribution Map from NBN: Nanozostera noltii at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Nanozostera noltii at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Nanozostera noltei

WoRMS: Nanozostera noltii at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Nanozostera noltei (Hornemann, 1832) Tomlinson & Posluszny, 2001. AphiaID: 1873041.

Classification: Biota; Plantae; Viridiplantae; Streptophyta; Tracheophyta; Spermatophytina; Magnoliopsida; Lilianae; Alismatales; Zosteraceae; Nanozostera