Paspalum vaginatum
Environmental Weed (2024)
Common names
saltwater paspalum
Biostatus
Exotic
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Grasses
Detailed description
Decumbent perennial grass with long creeping stolons. Leaf-blade up to 8 cm × 2 mm, rather stiff and much narrower than the sheath. Culm up to about 20 cm tall, panicle consisting of 2 spreading racemes.
Similar taxa
Not immediately obvious as paspalum, but close inspection reveals characteristic seed-heads. Can be separated from other paspalum species by the inflorescence of 2 racemes, the long spikelets (2.5–4.5 mm) and the upper glume glabrous (P. distichum has minutely appressed pubescence on upper glume). It is also the most salt-tolerant so location is important for identification.
Habitat
Aquatic: Emergent. Found in brackish water around the margins of river mouths and estuaries.
Conservation status
Not applicable
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Poaceae
Ecology
Year naturalised
1855
Origin
Europe
Reason for introduction
Agricultural
Tolerances
Grows in marginal saline habitats.
Life cycle and dispersal
Spreads vegetatively by stolons and by seed. Dispersed by sand movement.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
FACW: Facultative Wetland
Usually is a hydrophyte but occasionally found in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Etymology
paspalum: The Greek name for millet
Environmental Weed (2024)
This plant is named in a list of 386 environmental weeds in New Zealand 2024 prepared by DOC. 759 candidate species were considered for inclusion on this new comprehensive list of environmental weeds in New Zealand. The species considered were drawn from published lists of weed species, lists of plants that must be reported or managed by law if observed, existing national and regional programmes and agreements for pest management, and species already managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC). Candidate species were then assessed to see if they were fully naturalised and whether they have more than minor impacts in natural ecosystems. Read the full report here.
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
PASVAG