Spartina anglica (common cordgrass)

Spartina anglica

Photo courtesy Invasive Spartina Project

Spartina anglica (common cordgrass) is a rhizomatous perennial grass (family Poaceae) found in salt marshes and mudflats in northern San Francisco Bay. Common cordgrass is a recently evolved species that was first described in the late 1800s. The new species resulted from the hybridization of smooth cordgrass (S. alterniflora) and small cordgrass (S. maritima) in England. Spartina anglica can transform tidal mudflats into drier, elevated meadows over time. This has not yet occurred in the infested site in the San Francisco Bay, where the species has been spreading slowly since its introduction in 1970.

Cal-IPC Inventory rating: Moderate - Alert

Cal-IPC Resources on Spartina anglica

• California Invasive Plant Inventory Assessment Form (pdf) - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.
• Species account from Invasive Plants of California's Wildlands - Includes biology and management information.
• Cal-IPC News - Articles from our quarterly newsletter. Each issue is available as a pdf. List of articles on Spartina anglica.
• Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings - Presentations and papers from our annual Symposium.List of articles on Spartina anglica.
• Don't Plant a Pest! - Select your region to find non-invasive alternatives to ornamental species. Also see our statewide brochure on trees.

Cal-IPC News Articles

• Grijalva, E., D. Kerr, et al. (2006). Cordgrass and clapper rails. Cal-IPC News. 13: 6-8,11.
• Richardson, B. (2003). Invasive Spartina: "Just another weed": Biology, spread, and prospects for control. Cal-IPC News. 11: 4-6.

Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings

• Ayres, D. R., D. L. Smith, et al. (2002). Spread of exotic cordgrasses and hybrids (Spartina sp.) in the tidal marshes of San Francisco Bay. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium 2002. Sacramento, CA.
• DiTomaso, J. M. (2005). Efficacy and safety of new herbicides on the horizon. California Invasive Plant Council Symposium 2005. Chico, CA.
• DiGirolamo, L. (2006). Invasive species removal in an urban environment: Pitfalls and lessons learned. Cal-IPC Symposium. Rohnert Park, CA.
• Grijalva, E. (2006). Spartina control in the San Francisco Estuary: Progress toward estuary-wide control and eradication. Cal-IPC Symposium. Rohnert Park, CA.
• Jackson, N. E. (1996). Control of exotic weeds with Roundup herbicide: A survey of projects around the world. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium. San Diego, CA.
• Smith, D., S. Klohr, et al. (2002). Introduced Spartina in San Francisco Bay: 2000-2001 Survey and Findings, San Francisco Estuary Invasive Spartina Project. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium 2002. Sacramento, CA.

Other Resources on Spartina anglica

• USDA PLANTS database - Federal database with information on identification and distribution, and links to websites in individual states.
• Jepson Online Interchange for California Flora - Information on taxonomy, biology, and distribution from the UC Berkeley Jepson Herbarium.
• CalFlora - Distribution information by county based on submitted observations and herbarium specimens.
• San Francisco Estuary Invasive Spartina Project - The Invasive Spartina Project is a coordinated regional effort among local, state and federal organizations dedicated to preserving California's extraordinary coastalbiological resources through the elimination of introduced species of Spartina (cordgrass).

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