Field Studies Sandy Shore.ppt

Field Studies: Sandy Shore PLANTS: GRASS (BACK-OF-SHORE) Zoysia sinica (Marine Grass) 結縷草 Fam. Graminae This grass is adapted to live on salty sands, its extensive root system binds the soil together and makes the substratum stable. CREEPERS (BACK-OF-SHORE) Canavalia maritima (Sea Sword Bean)海刀豆 Fam. Papilionaceae This coastal plant is often found creeping over other plants. Its compound leaves are alternate, with 3 rounded leaflets, each about 20 cm long including the leaf stalk. The inflorescence is a raceme in the axil of leaf, pink in colour. Flowering occurs in August and September. The fruit is a pod about 15 cm long. Ipomoea brasiliensis (Beach Morning Glory) Fam. Convolvulaceae It can be found creeping on sand surface. Leaves are single and alternate, bi-lobed. Flowers are born singly in leaf axil, purple in colour and look like ordinary Morning Glory flowers. Vitex rotundifolia (Beach Vitex)白背蔓莉 Fam. Verbenaceae馬鞭草科 This shrub possesses simple opposite leaves, oval 2? - 4 cm long. Flowers are in terminal clusters, pale purple colour, each about 1? cm long. Fruits are globular. One characteristic of this plant is that the underside of the leaves are greyish-white in colour. ALGA DIVISION: CHLOROPHYTA Enteromorpha compressa乾苔 Large algae are generally absent in sandy shore, but some microscopic algae and diatoms may be found. This alga looks like threads entangling the sand particles. They serve as food for a number of small hermit crabs, scavenging snails, ceriths and clams etc. ANIMALS PHYLUM: MOLLUSCA CLASS: GASTROPODA SUB-CLASS: PULMONATA Onchidium sp. (Seashore Slug)石磺 Fam. Onchidiidae This slug is oval-shaped, greyish brown in colour. It can reach 3-5 cm in length. Situated at the anterior end is a pair of cylindrical antennae, with the eyes in antennae tips. It is usually found on upper shore, and feeds on algae and detritus. SUB-CLASS: PROSOBRANCHIA前鰓類 ORDER: MESOGASTROPODA Cerithidea rhizophorarum (Mud Snail)