Rhizophora mangle

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Red mangrove
1796 Plate by Johannes Zorn

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Rhizophoraceae
Genus: Rhizophora
Species:
R. mangle
Binomial name
Rhizophora mangle
MHNT

Rhizophora mangle, the red mangrove,[1] is distributed in estuarine ecosystems throughout the tropics. Its viviparous "seeds", in actuality called propagules, become fully mature plants before dropping off the parent tree.[2] These are dispersed by water until eventually embedding in the shallows.

Rhizophora mangle grows on

Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius). The red mangrove itself is considered an invasive species in some locations, such as Hawaii, where it forms dense, monospecific thickets.[3]
R. mangle thickets, however, provide nesting and hunting habitat for a diverse array of organisms, including fish, birds, and crocodiles.

Distribution and habitat

Red mangroves are found in

Laguncularia racemosa), black mangroves (Avicennia germinans), and buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus) though often more seaward than the other species. Through stabilization of their surroundings, mangroves create a community for other plants and animals (such as mangrove crabs). Though rooted in soil, mangrove roots are often submerged in water for several hours or on a permanent basis. The roots are usually sunk in a sand or clay
base, which allows for some protection from the waves.

Specimens of Moesziomyces aphidis have been collected from water samples and on Rhizophora mangle leaves along the Perequê-Áçu River, in mangroves located in São Paulo State, Brazil.[4]

Description

Red mangroves are easily distinguishable through their unique prop roots system and viviparous seeds. The prop roots of a red mangrove suspend it over the water, thereby giving it extra support and protection. They also help the tree to combat hypoxia by allowing it a direct intake of oxygen through its root structure.

A mangrove can reach up to 80 ft (24 m) in height in ideal conditions, but it is commonly found at a more modest 20 ft (6.1 m). Its bark is thick and a grey-brown color. Mangrove leaves are 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) wide and 3–5 in (7.6–12.7 cm) long, with smooth margins and an

elliptical shape. They are a darker shade of green on the tops than on the bottoms. The tree produces yellow flowers
in the spring.

Reproduction

As a viviparous plant, R. mangle creates a propagule that is in reality a living tree. Though resembling an elongated seed pod, the fully grown propagule on the mangrove is capable of rooting and producing a new tree. The trees are

self or wind pollination
. The tree undergoes no dormant stage as a seed, but rather progresses to a live plant before leaving its parent tree. A mangrove propagule may float in brackish water for over a year before rooting.

Uses

In the Casamance region in southern Senegal, halved roots of R. mangle are commonly used to create roof and ceiling structures, as well as for production of firewood and charcoal.[citation needed]

Gallery

  • A free-standing red mangrove tree growing in shallow water in the backcountry of the Cape Sable area of Everglades National Park.
    A free-standing red mangrove tree growing in shallow water in the backcountry of the Cape Sable area of Everglades National Park.
  • Propagules growing before dropping from the parent plant in the Puerto Mosquito Bio Bay, Vieques.
    Propagules growing before dropping from the parent plant in the
    Vieques
    .
  • A red mangrove forest in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.
    A red mangrove forest in
    Fajardo, Puerto Rico
    .
  • Root structure above and below water.
    Root structure above and below water.
  • An ecotourist on a kayak tunnel through red mangrove trees and roots at Lido Key.
    An
    ecotourist on a kayak tunnel through red mangrove trees and roots at Lido Key
    .

See also

References

  1. ^
    doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-1.RLTS.T178851A69024847.en
    . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. S2CID 216143703
    .
  3. ^ Allen, J.A., 1998. Mangroves as Alien Species: The Case of Hawaii. Global Ecology and Biogeographical Letters 7:61-71
  4. ^ "aphidis :: Marine Fungi". www.marinefungi.org. Retrieved 9 August 2022.

External links

Media related to Rhizophora mangle at Wikimedia Commons

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