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Floristic Inventory of the Florida Keys Database Online

Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene
Saltgrass

Distichlis spicata
Copyright by: George D. Gann
in habitat, New Providence, Bahamas, 2012

Family: Poaceae

Group: Monocot

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Herb

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: North America, the West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America.

IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Rare

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Comments: Visit our Natives For Your Neighborhood website for more information and images.

FLORIDA KEYS Occurrence: Present

FLORIDA KEYS Native Status: Native

IRC FLORIDA KEYS Status: Rare

Map of select IRC data for the Florida Keys

Florida Keys History and Distribution: Reported in 1907 by C.F. Millspaugh for the lower sandy Keys.  Reported in 1913 by John Kunkel Small for coastal sand dunes and hammocks throughout the Florida Keys.  We consider this native and extant from the upper Keys to the lower Keys and reported for the lower sandy Keys.  Plants of Sporobolus virginicus and Paspalum vaginatum are frequently misidentified as this.

Other data on Distichlis spicata available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants

Distichlis spicata has been reported from the following 19 conservation areas in the FLORIDA KEYS :
Occurrence Native Status
Bahia Honda State Park Reported
Big Torch Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Biscayne National Park, Florida Keys Section Present Native
Curry Hammock State Park Present Native
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammocks Botanical State Park Present Native
Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge Present Native
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Reported
Key West National Wildlife Refuge Reported
Lake San Pedro Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park Reported
Little Hamaca Park Present Native
Long Key State Park Reported
National Key Deer Refuge Present Native
Ramrod Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Spoonbill Sound Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Sugarloaf Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Torchwood Hammock Preserve Present Native
Wahoo Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park Assumed to be Present Native




Distichlis spicata has been reported for the following 2 habitats in THE FLORIDA KEYS :
Disturbed Wetland
Salt Marsh


All Images:

Distichlis spicata
Copyright by: George D. Gann
in habitat, New Providence, Bahamas, 2012
Distichlis spicata
Copyright by: George D. Gann
in habitat, New Providence, Bahamas, 2012
Distichlis spicata
Copyright by: Susan Trammell
Distichlis spicata
Copyright by: Shirley Denton
Distichlis spicata
Copyright by: Shirley Denton
Distichlis spicata
Copyright by: Shirley Denton