Poaceae

Seashore dropseed

Sporobolus virginicus (L.) Kunth

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Sporobolus

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Common names

By language (4)

Chinese: 盐地鼠尾粟, 鹽地鼠尾粟
English: Seashore dropseed, Beach dropseed, Saltgrass, Sand couch, Seashore rush grass, Seashore rushgrass
Hawaiian: Aki, Akiaki, Mahiki, Mahikihiki, Manienie, Manienie akiaki, Manienie mahikihiki, Manienie maoli
Vietnamese: Cỏ xạ tử

Synonyms

Agrostis affinis Schult.
Agrostis barbata Pers.
Agrostis congener Schumach.
Agrostis distichophylla Roem. & Schult.
Agrostis dura Willd. ex Steud.
Agrostis juncea Lam.
Agrostis littoralis Lam.
Agrostis littoralis Sm.
Agrostis pungens Muhl.
Agrostis tremula Willd.
Agrostis virginica L.
Aira congener Schumach.
Aira sabuletorum Steud.
Aira sabulonum Labill.
Aira sabulonum var. uniflora Balansa
Aira subulorum D.Dietr.
Crypsis maritima Munro ex MacOwan
Crypsis virginica (L.) Nutt.
Podosemum virginicum (L.) Link
Sporobolus benthamii var. robustus Domin
Sporobolus confertus J.A.Schmidt
Sporobolus geniculatus (Nees ex Steud.) Nees ex Aitch.
Sporobolus humilis subsp. minor Veldkamp
Sporobolus littoralis (Lam.) Kunth
Sporobolus matrella (Nees) Nees
Sporobolus minutus subsp. confertus (J.A.Schmidt) Lobin, N.Kilian & Leyens
Sporobolus muehlenbergii Kunth
Sporobolus sundaicus Ohwi
Sporobolus tremulus Kunth
Sporobolus virginicus subsp. littoralis (Kunth) Borhidi & O.Muñiz
Sporobolus virginicus var. littoralis (Lam.) Hitchc.
Sporobolus virginicus var. major Franch.
Sporobolus virginicus var. minor B.K.Simon
Sporobolus virginicus var. minor F.M.Bailey
Sporobolus virginicus var. pallidus Benth.
Sporobolus virginicus var. virginicus
Vilfa barbata P.Beauv.
Vilfa conferta (J.A.Schmidt) Steud.
Vilfa dura Trin.
Vilfa geniculata Nees ex Steud.

and 9 more.

Flowers

Flower colour: brown (USDA PLANTS Database)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Graminoid
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Hawaii: native, Lower 48 states: native, Pacific Basin: native, Puerto Rico: native, U.S. Virgin Islands: native

Photos

Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Daderot, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Daderot, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Sporobolus

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.