Spartina
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.
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Family
Poaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Genus Description - Cespitose or rhizomatous perennial herbs; culms often over 1 m tall. Leaves coarse; sheaths mostly scabrous; ligules a line of hairs; blades elongate, flat to involute, often sharp-pointed. Inflorescence of a few to many, 1-sided, ascending, densely flowered spikes. Spikelets borne in 2 rows along 2 sides of the triquetrous rachis, 1-flowered, strongly laterally compressed, membranous to firm; disarticulation below the glumes, spikelet falling as an entire unit; glumes lanceolate, unequal; lower glumes 1-nerved, shorter than the lemma; upper glumes 3-5-nerved, as long as or longer than the lemma; lemma 1-3-nerved, firm; palea membranous, about as long as or longer than the lemma; stamens 3. Caryopsis rarely seen.
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Distribution
A genus of 16 species, surrounding the Atlantic Ocean and found inland in North America to the West Coast south to Mexico and Chile.
México Mexico North America| Chile South America|