Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses

INLAND SALTGRASS

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Distichlis spicata (L. ) Greene

Lincoln County, Kansas

Perennial

Height: 4-16 inches

Family: Poaceae - Grass Family

Flowering Period: June, July, August, September

Also Called:

Alkali grass, desert saltgrass.

Culms:

Erect or decumbent at base, sometimes parallel to soil surface, coarse, solid to hollow, glabrous. Inland saltgrass is dioecious (male and female flowers occur on separate plants); pistillate plants usually shorter than staminate.

Blades:

Numerous, prominently 2-ranked, stiffly ascending, flat or rolled inward from edges, rigid, 2 to 7 inches long, 1/10 to 1/6 inch wide, smooth below, rough to hairy above; tips tapering to points.

Sheaths:

Overlapping, open, glabrous but sometimes with few long hairs at throat.

Ligules:

Short fringed membrane.

Inflorescences:

Panicle, contracted; panicle of pistillate plants 1 to 2.5 inches long; panicle of staminate plants looser, 1 to 4 inches long; spikelets on short stalks.

Spikelets:

Spikelets flattened, 1/3 to 1 inch long, 5-17-flowered, awnless; pistillate spikelets somewhat less flattened; glumes unequal, narrow, firm, glabrous, tips sharp-pointed; lemmas closely overlapping, tips sharp-pointed; lemmas and glumes initially membrane-like with green markings, later straw-colored.

Habitat:

Low prairies, along roads, and near creeks and lakes; usually on moist alkaline or saline soils.

Distribution:

Principally in the west 3/4 of Kansas.

Reproduction:

Reproduces primarily via rhizomes.

Forage Value:

Inland saltgrass has only fair forage value.

Uses:

The seeds are consumed by small mammals and waterfowl.

Comments:

This mat-forming grass will tolerate high soil salinity. Inland saltgrass is resistant to trampling. It is an aggressive increaser.