Description: The long, narrow leaves, to 1 m (39”) long and 0.8 cm (0.3”) wide, have serrated margins that can be felt by stroking the leaf margin. The five (or seven) veins running the length of the leaves are the vascular bundles containing xylem and phloem. The leaves are anchored to the substrate by rhizomes; each rhizome node has two roots. Habitat: This species prefers exposed coastlines; it forms a patchwork of beds from mid to low intertidal on rock ramps and boulder fields. Its root system can collect sand, providing a protective habitat for many marine invertebrates. Similar taxa: See Phyllospadix scouleri, which occurs lower in the intertidal and does not extend as far north, and Zostera marina, which is found on soft or mixed substrates.