Flora of the Southeastern United States

Spartina patens (Aiton) Muhlenberg. Common name: Small Saltmeadow Cordgrass, Salt Hay, Marsh-hay Cordgrass. Phenology: Mar-Dec. Habitat: Dunes, sand flats, upper edges of tidal marshes, maritime wet grasslands, overwash flats. Distribution: NL (Newfoundland) south to FL, west to TX; West Indies; Mexico (ROO, TAB, TAM) and Central America.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: Spartina patens var. monogyna has spikelets 7-10 mm long (vs. 9-13 mm); second glume acute to obtuse (rarely acuminate) (vs. acuminate); spikes (2-) 4-9 per inflorescence (vs. 1-4); second highest leaf blade on the stem (1-) avg. 2 (-5) dm long (vs. 0.5-2 dm); plants to 15 dm tall (vs. to 8 dm); culms to 6 mm in diameter at base (vs. to 3 mm). Whether var. monogyna (name available only in Spartina) is worthy of recognition is a matter of debate; there appear to be morphological differences correlated with geography and, according to some authors, habitat, but positive identification to variety is often difficult.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Bah, C, FNA25, GW1, Mex, Mi, NE, RAB, S, S13, SFla, Tx, Va, WH3; = Sporobolus pumilus (Roth) P.M.Peterson & Saarela — FlGr, K4, NY, Peterson et al (2014a); > Spartina patens (Aiton) Muhl. var. juncea (Michx.) Hitchc. — Tat; > Spartina patens (Aiton) Muhl. var. monogyna (Curtis) Fernald — F, G, HC; > Spartina patens (Aiton) Muhl. var. patens — F, G, HC, Tat; Dactylis patens W. Aiton. Basionym: Dactylis patens Aiton 1789

Links to other floras: = Spartina patens - FNA25

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
• Great Plains: FACW
• Midwest: FACW
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACW

Heliophily ⓘ: 9