A POEM A DAY - SEA OLIVES



I have seen these furry sand coloured balls on Spanish beaches for years and never discovered what they are. One of the pleasures of this photo poem project is noticing nature and finding out about plants, trees and wildlife. 

These balls are the by product of a sea grass called Posidonia Oceanica that grows in banks of swaying green. It is found throughout the Mediterranean and is a sign of a healthy sea environment as it also absorbs large amounts of carbon dioxide. Biologists are monitoring the plant and it is considered a threatened species needing protection. 

The balls are formed by plant debris and other sea matter, rolled around by wave action and deposited on the sands. They are known in Italy as 'olives of the sea', whilst the plant itself also bears the delightful common name of Neptune Grass. 



© 2019 Jacqueline Knight Cotterill.  All rights reserved. 

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