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Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene

Saltgrass (en), Herbe-des-salines en épi (fr), Distichlide en épi (fr), Uniola en épi (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Poales > Poaceae > Distichlis

Characteristics

Colonial from hard, white rhizomes with stiff scales; stems 1.5–4 dm, with numerous rigid, involute lf-blades 5–10 cm, the lvs often pilose at the collar; infl congested, short, to 8 cm; lemmas ovate or lance-ovate, about equaling the palea, this with 2 winged keels, the wings ciliolate and/or irregularly serrate; 2n=40. Two vars.
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A grass. It keeps growing from year to year. It has robust rhizomes. It grows 60 cm tall.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality -
Pollination anemogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.3
Root system fibrous-root rhizome
Rooting depth (meter) 0.35
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c4

Environment

Found in a wide range of environments that include salt marshes, sandy flats, inland salt marshes, alkaline flats, coastal tidal marshes, foothills, deserts, grasslands, salt playas, and along the banks of streams, rivers, and lakes; to 2,700 metres
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It is a temperate or Mediterranean plant. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 3,600 m above sea level.
Light 7-8
Soil humidity 5-7
Soil texture -
Soil acidity 5-9
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 4-11

Usage

A spice probably salt was used as flavouring.
Uses animal food beverage environmental use fiber food medicinal spice
Edible leaves seeds stems
Therapeutic use Dermatological Aid (unspecified), Heart Medicine (unspecified), Laxative (unspecified), Venereal Aid (unspecified), Cold Remedy (unspecified), Dietary Aid (unspecified)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings.
Mode cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Distichlis spicata habit picture by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Distichlis spicata leaf picture by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Distichlis spicata leaf picture by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Distichlis spicata leaf picture by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Distichlis spicata flower picture by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Distichlis spicata world distribution map, present in Åland Islands, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Ecuador, Georgia, Guatemala, Haiti, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Peru, Uruguay, and United States of America

Conservation status

Distichlis spicata threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:82343-2
WFO ID wfo-0000865007
COL ID 36XJR
BDTFX ID 22711
INPN ID 95175
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Brachypodium peruvianum Brizopyrum thalassicum Distichlis dentata Distichlis marginata Distichlis mendocina Distichlis nodosa Megastachya thalassica Poa michauxii Poa subulata Triticum peruvianum Uniola distichophylla Uniola flexuosa Uniola multiflora Uniola stricta Briza spicata Brizopyrum americanum Brizopyrum boreale Brizopyrum prostratum Distichlis prostrata Distichlis stricta Festuca triticea Festuca triticoides Megastachya prostrata Poa repens Agropyron peruvianum Briza spicata Brizopyrum ovatum Distichlis araucana Distichlis deserticola Distichlis hirsuta Distichlis hirta Distichlis tenuifolia Distichlis thalassica Distichlis viridis Eragrostis thalassica Festuca spicata Poa dactyloides Poa prostrata Poa thalassica Uniola prostrata Uniola pungens Uniola thalassica Brizopyrum spicatum Distichlis maritima Festuca distichophylla Uniola spicata Poa borealis Brizopyrum prostratum var. erectum Brizopyrum prostratum var. humile Brizopyrum spicatum var. strictum Distichlis marginata var. stricta Distichlis maritima var. laxa Distichlis maritima var. stricta Distichlis spicata subsp. stricta Distichlis spicata var. andina Distichlis spicata var. borealis Distichlis spicata var. distichophylla Distichlis spicata var. divaricata Distichlis spicata var. laxa Distichlis spicata var. marginata Distichlis spicata var. mendozina Distichlis spicata var. mexicana Distichlis spicata var. nana Distichlis spicata var. stolonifera Distichlis spicata var. stricta Distichlis spicata var. thalassica Distichlis stricta var. dentata Distichlis stricta var. laxa Distichlis thalassica var. mendocina Distichlis thalassica var. pectinata Distichlis spicata f. hirta Distichlis spicata var. spicata Distichlis stricta var. stricta Distichlis thalassica var. thalassica Distichlis spicata subsp. spicata Distichlis spicata
WorldFloraDB 2024