Zosteraceae (the
seagrass family) is a family of
marine perennial flowering plants found in
temperate and
subtropical coastal waters, with the highest diversity located around Korea and Japan. Most
seagrasses complete their entire
life cycle under water, having filamentous
pollen especially adapted to dispersion in an aquatic environment and ribbon-like leaves that lack
stomata. Seagrasses are
herbaceous and have prominent creeping
rhizomes. A distinctive characteristic of the family is the presence of characteristic retinacules, which are present in all species except members of
Zostera subgenus
Zostera.
