Poaceae
Saltgrass
Distichlis spicata
- Family
- Poaceae
- Genus
- Distichlis
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Common names
By language (4)
- Chinese
- 鹽草
- English
- Saltgrass, Desert saltgrass, Inland saltgrass
- nv
- Tłʼoh díkʼǫ́zhí
- Spanish
- Grama salada, Huizapol, Huizapole, Pasto del salitral, Pasto puna, Pelo de chancho, Zacahuistle, Zacate salado
Synonyms
- Agropyron peruvianum (Lam.) Roem. & Schult.
- Brachypodium peruvianum (Lam.) Roem. & Schult. ex Kunth
- Briza spicata Burm.f.
- Briza spicata (L.) Lam.
- Brizopyrum americanum Link
- Brizopyrum boreale J.Presl
- Brizopyrum ovatum Nees ex Steud.
- Brizopyrum prostratum (Kunth) Benth. ex E.Fourn.
- Brizopyrum prostratum var. erectum E.Fourn.
- Brizopyrum prostratum var. humile E.Fourn.
- Brizopyrum spicatum (L.) Hook. & Arn.
- Brizopyrum spicatum var. strictum (Torr.) S.Watson
- Brizopyrum thalassicum (Kunth) Nees
- Distichlis araucana Phil.
- Distichlis dentata Rydb.
- Distichlis deserticola Phil.
- Distichlis hirsuta Phil.
- Distichlis hirta Phil.
- Distichlis marginata Phil.
- Distichlis marginata var. stricta (Torr.) Thurb.
- Distichlis maritima Raf.
- Distichlis maritima var. laxa Holm
- Distichlis maritima var. stricta (Torr.) Thurb.
- Distichlis mendocina Phil.
- Distichlis nodosa Raf.
- Distichlis prostrata (Kunth) É.Desv.
- Distichlis spicata f. hirta (Phil.) Kuntze
- Distichlis spicata subsp. spicata
- Distichlis spicata subsp. stricta (Torr.) Thorne
- Distichlis spicata var. andina Beetle
- Distichlis spicata var. borealis (J.Presl) Beetle
- Distichlis spicata var. distichophylla (Michx.) Beetle
- Distichlis spicata var. divaricata Beetle
- Distichlis spicata var. laxa Beal
- Distichlis spicata var. marginata (Phil.) Kuntze
- Distichlis spicata var. mendozina (Phil.) Hack.
- Distichlis spicata var. mexicana Beetle
- Distichlis spicata var. nana Beetle
- Distichlis spicata var. spicata
- Distichlis spicata var. stolonifera Beetle
and 35 more.
Flowers
- Flower colour
- yellow (USDA PLANTS Database)
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Graminoid
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Canada: native, Hawaii: introduced, Lower 48 states: native
Photos

Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Damian Fries, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Sue Schechter, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Chris B, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Trap Hers, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Trap Hers, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
More in Distichlis
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.