Spartina Schreb.
Type species: S. schreberi J.F.Gmel.
Often stout, strongly rhizomatous perennials. Leaf-sheath firm, open. Ligule a dense fringe of fine straight hairs. Leaf-blade coriaceous, flat or involute. Inflorescence of 2-many congested persistent spike-like racemes arranged racemosely along an axis; spikes bearing spikelets in 2 rows on one side of 3-angled rachis, rachis usually prolonged beyond spikelets. Spikelets 1-flowered, very rarely 2-flowered, strongly laterally compressed, falling entire with glumes; rachilla not prolonged. Glumes unequal, firmly membranous, strongly keeled, acute to shortly awned; lower shorter, 1-3-nerved, upper usually > floret, 1-nerved or obscurely 3-(6)-nerved. Lemma keeled, firmly membranous with wide margins, 1-3-nerved, sometimes with additional indistinct nerves, tapering to narrow, subacute, awnless apex. Palea ≈ lemma, 2-nerved. Lodicules 0, or sometimes 2. Stamens 3. Caryopsis fusiform; embryo large; hilum elliptic. Fig. 19.
Key
c. 15 spp., of coasts of North and South America, Europe and Africa, in temperate to subtropical regions. Naturalised spp. 3.
Some spp., especially S. anglica, have been used to stabilise mudflats. Spartina was introduced into N.Z. for this purpose, but Lee, W. G. and Partridge, T. R. N.Z. J. Bot. 21: 231-236 (1983), note that the spread of Spartina rapidly destroys habitats formerly occupied by a range of faunal spp.
Partridge, T. R. N.Z. J. Bot. 25: 567-575 (1987), outlined the introduction, history, planting and spread of Spartina in N.Z., presenting descriptions of, and keys to the 3 spp. in N.Z. This account is largely based on his treatment.
