Spartina cynosuroides — big cordgrass
![Plant form: Spartina cynosuroides. ~ By Robert Buchsbaum. ~ Copyright © 2024 Robert Buchsbaum. ~ rbuchsbaum[at]massaudubon.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Poaceae/spartina-cynosuroides-ha-rbuchsbaum.jpg)
![Spikelets: Spartina cynosuroides. ~ By Elizabeth Farnsworth. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Poaceae/spartina-cynosuroides-si-efarnsworth.jpg)
![Inflorescences: Spartina cynosuroides. ~ By Nelson DeBarros. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~ ndebarros[at]gmail.com ~ USDA-NRCS Plants Database - plants.usda.gov/java/](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Poaceae/spartina-cynosuroides-in-ndebarros1.jpg)
![Leaves: Spartina cynosuroides. ~ By Mary Barkworth. ~ Copyright © 2024 Mary Barkworth. ~ Mary.Barkworth[at]usu.edu ~ Manual of Grasses for North America](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Poaceae/spartina-cynosuroides-le-mbarkworth1.jpg)
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Facts
Big cordgrass is a saltmarsh and brackish marsh grass found on the coasts of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, as well as south to the Gulf Coast. It is a highly productive plant that contributes detritus to the tidal wetlands, helping to make them fertile nursery habitat for many fish species.
Habitat
Brackish or salt marshes and flats, marshes
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
-
- aquatic
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Leaf blade width
- 6–20 mm
- Inflorescence branches
- the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
- Spikelet length
- 9–14 mm
- Glume relative length
- neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
- Awn on glume
- the glume has an awn
- One or more florets
- there is one floret per spikelet
- Lemma awn length
- 0 mm
- Leaf ligule length
- 1–3 mm
- Anther length
- 4–6 mm
-
Flowers
- Anther length
- 4–6 mm
- Anther number
- 3
- Awn on glume
- the glume has an awn
- Floret lower bract texture
- the lemma is thin and flexible
- Floret number
- 1
- Glume awn length
- Up to 2 mm
- Glume relative length
- neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
- Glume veins
-
- 1
- 3
- Inflorescence arrangement
- the spikelets are uniform
- Inflorescence axis orientation
- the inflorescence axis is straight
- Inflorescence branches
- the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
- Inflorescence length
- 150–400 mm
- Inflorescence type (general)
- the spikelets are borne on stalks or on branches
- Inflorescence type (specific)
- the inflorescence is branched and the branches all grow from the same side of the plant and look like spikes
- Lemma awn base
- NA
- Lemma awn length
- 0 mm
- Lemma awn number
- the lemma has no awn
- Lemma cross-section
- the lemma is V-shaped if you cut across the midpoint
- Lemma surface
- the surface of the lemma is relatively smooth (not counting any longitudinal veins or hairs)
- Lemma vein number
-
- 1
- 3
- One or more florets
- there is one floret per spikelet
- Palea relative length
- palea is longer than lemma
- Spikelet axis tip
- there is no extension of the spikelet axis beyond the tip of the spikelet
- Spikelet length
- 9–14 mm
- Spikelets spiny
- the spikelets do not appear spiny
-
Growth form
- Horizontal rooting stem
- no
- Rhizomes
- yes
- Roots
- the plant has rhizomes (horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
Leaves
- Leaf auricles
- the leaves do not have auricles
- Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade is hairless, but it may have tiny prickles that give it a sand-papery feel
- Leaf blade width
- 6–20 mm
- Leaf ligule length
- 1–3 mm
- Leaf ligule type
- the leaf ligule is in the form of a membrane with fine hairs
- Leaf sheath closed around stem
- the margins of the leaf sheath are overlapping and not fused together except in the basal half (or less)
- Leaf sheath hairs
-
- there are hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
- there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- aquatic
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Specific habitat
-
- brackish or salt marshes and flats
- marshes
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Stem spacing
-
- the stems grow close together in compact clusters or tufts
- the stems grow singly or a few together (they may form diffuse colonies)
Wetland status
Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- rare (S-rank: S2), threatened (code: T)
- Rhode Island
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), concern (code: C)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
2. Spartina cynosuroides (L.) Roth NC
big cordgrass. Spartina cynosuroides (L.) Roth var. polystachya (Michx.) Beal ex Fern.; S. polystachya Michx. • CT, MA, RI. Saline and brackish marshes.
Native to North America?
Yes