NameThatPlant.net: Spartina alterniflora

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Spartina alterniflora FAMILY Poaceae Go to FSUS key

Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.

Learn more about Cordgrass from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.

The recognition of the genus Spartina is controversial following the work of Peterson et al. (2014), which shows Spartina as derived from within Sporobolus. For now and awaiting further study and potential taxonomic changes, we retain an apparently paraphyletic Sporobolus and recognize Spartina, per Weakley's Flora (2023).

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Spartina alterniflora FAMILY Poaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Sporobolus alterniflorus

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 25 (2003)

Spartina alterniflora

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Spartina alterniflora

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-58-003:

Spartina alterniflora FAMILY Poaceae

INCLUDING Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)

Spartina alterniflora var. alterniflora

INCLUDING Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)

Spartina alterniflora var. glabra

INCLUDING Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)

Spartina alterniflora var. pilosa

INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Spartina alterniflora var. alterniflora

INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Spartina alterniflora var. glabra

INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Spartina alterniflora var. pilosa

COMMON NAME:
Saltmarsh Cordgrass, Smooth Cordgrass

To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Spartina alterniflora, Saltmarsh Cordgrass, Smooth Cordgrass

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950 pnd_spal_001_lvd

JK Marlow jkm090517_032

May Georgetown County SC

JK Marlow jkm160915_113

September Beaufort County SC

Spring Island

JK Marlow jkm160915_139

September Beaufort County SC

JK Marlow jkm160915_145

September Beaufort County SC

Leaves cauline; sheaths overlapping; blades usually < 12mm wide, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

Keith Bradley kab_s_alterniflora_0130

December Charleston County SC

Dominant plant (often almost a monoculture) of intratidal salt marshes here, per Weakley's Flora (2020).

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Spartina alterniflora FAMILY Poaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Spartina alterniflora FAMILY Poaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Sporobolus alterniflorus

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 25
Spartina alterniflora

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Spartina alterniflora

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-58-003:
Spartina alterniflora FAMILY Poaceae

INCLUDING Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Spartina alterniflora var. alterniflora

INCLUDING Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Spartina alterniflora var. glabra

INCLUDING Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Spartina alterniflora var. pilosa

INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Spartina alterniflora var. alterniflora

INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Spartina alterniflora var. glabra

INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Spartina alterniflora var. pilosa

1447

Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Perennial

Habitat: Salt marshes. S. alterniflora is the dominant plant (often essentially a monoculture) of intratidal salt marshes in our area, per Weakley's Flora

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

Common in Coastal Plain

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate, 2-ranked

RHIZOMES? STOLONS?
Rhizomatous

FLOWER:
Summer/Fall

Inflorescence an array of spikes

FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Grain

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!