According to the University of Southern Mississippi, plant life most commonly grows on coral reefs in the Caribbean. One of the sea's most common forms of plant life is algae. Algae range from single-cell organisms to multicellular branching forms known as seaweed. The most common types of algae found in the Caribbean are coralline algae, which grow like a crust over coral, and calcareous algae, which grow in vertical fronds. When algae die, they leave behind a limestone residue that aids in the formation of coral reefs.
Beds of seagrass commonly grow near Caribbean coral reefs. These grasses, which include shoal grass, manatee grass and turtle grass, all produce flowers. While algae serve as a food source for fish, seagrasses provide a habitat and a place to hide from predators. Seagrasses anchor themselves in the seabed using stems called rhizomes. These are helpful to the ecosystem because they filter sediment from the water and keep sand from being carried by the current, thus helping to prevent beach erosion.
According to "National Geographic," one harmful Caribbean plant is Dictyota menstrualis, a type of seaweed that smothers other plant life by growing over it in thick, brown beds. By killing off other plant life, Dictyota menstrualis is harmful to the ecosystem because it removes food sources for Caribbean fauna like the sea urchin. Dictyota menstrualis also produces a noxious chemical that stops fish from eating it. According to "National Geographic," marine biologists have been breaking down Dictyota menstrualis growth and restocking the reefs with sea urchins to reinvigorate the population.
