UNCW MarineQuest & AmeriCorps STORM SURGE PROTECTORS · STORM SURGE PROTECTORS Vegetation Field Guide Appendix: Inflorescence: The complete flower head of a plant including stems,

UNCW MarineQuest & AmeriCorps

STORM SURGE PROTECTORS Vegetation Field Guide

Species Species Description

Smooth Cordgrass Spartina alterniflora

Smooth, or salt marsh cordgrass is the most common salt marsh plant and a prime indicator of a coastal wetland.

Habitat: Grow in the low marsh that is regularly flooded Stems: stiffly erect, 3-5 ft. tall, smooth Leaf blades: to 2 ft. long, to 5/8 in. wide, becoming folded at tip Inflorescence: spike-like, to 16 in. long, having 5-20 spike-like branches to 5 in. long, branches pressed to the axis and overlapping; Spikelet: 10-40 on each inflorescence branch, flattened, smooth, pointed tips, in 2 rows, often twisting; Flowers: Late September, tiny white flowers, lush and green in warmer months, golden-brown in winter



Salt Meadow Cordgrass Spartina patens

Fairly low to medium height graceful, meadow-like grass, up to a meter tall. Spreading by elongated rhizomes.

Habitat: Brackish marshes, low sand dunes and sand flats along the outer coastal plain. Salt meadow hay grows in vast expanses above the high tide line. Grows in irregularly flooded areas of salt and brackish marshes. Stems: wiry, dark green and hollow can grow 1-4 feet tall Leaf Blades: Narrow, linear leaf blades are rolled inward and are less than 3 mm wide and 35 cm long. Inflorescence: Open, terminal panicle with 3 to 6 alternately arranged spikes which contain densely packed Spikelet: 7-12 mm long. Flowers In June-October, but also relies on rhizomes to reproduce asexually Field Characteristics: This grass may spread by runners in straight lines or may form tufted growths. Salt meadow hay has wiry stems whereas other species of Spartina have thick stems. Fun fact: Also referred to as salt meadow hay, it is easily bent and blown over by wind giving the grass a “cowlick” appearance.



Black Needlerush Juncus gerardii

Perennial rush with hollow, needle-like stems usually to 1 m tall. Black needle rush spreads by rhizomes and appears as dense and extensive

stands of grayish or reddish-brown stiff needles.

Habitat: Brackish marshes and tidal flats in the lower coastal plain. Black needlerush is found in the upper intertidal zone where it is inundated by saltwater during storm tides. It grows in the higher areas of the marsh, where salt water only completely covers the land only during unusually high tides. In these higher elevations of the marsh, needlerush replaces cordgrass as the most common plant species. Stems: Black needlerush has tall (3 to 5 feet) needle-like blades in shades of dark green or gray with blackish tips Leaf Blades: Leaf blades are absent but leaf sheaths arise from near the apex of the stem The stem tip is very sharp and can pierce flesh. Inflorescence: Compound panicle up to 12 cm long. Flowers: flowers at the tips of branches May-October, seeds mature from July-November Field characteristics: Rigid, reddish, gray or brown needles forming extensive stands, particularly in the northern outer coastal plain of NC. Black needlerush tolerates a wide range of salinity. This is the most common species in brackish waters. Marshes dominated by this rush may cover hundreds of acres.



Salt Marsh Bulrush Bolboschoenus robustus

Bulrush seeds are a primary food source for a variety of marsh species and provides habitat and shelter for wildlife.

Habitat: Bulrush is found in coastal salt marshes and tidal flats. Stems: Erect, sharply triangular, hard, 3ft tall Leaf Blades: Long thin leaves and bracts, green color, from the upper stem nodes, very long and narrow to 24 in. long to 3/8 in. wide. Inflorescence: Compromised of 1-5 large spikelets Spikelet: Large, cone-shaped, one to five that are clustered together near the top of the stem. Reddish-brown color containing brown seeds within. Flowers: April-August, Fruits: July-October Field Characteristic’s: With its roots immersed in the mud or water, the bulrush grows into large, thick colonies. The plants can reach up to 10 feet tall, and the tops are crowned with spikelet’s.



Saw Grass Cladium

Tall, coarse perennial sedge up to 3 m growing in extensive stands from stout rhizomes. May form dense monotypic stands in slightly

brackish waters. May occur either in standing water or on drier ground in the coastal plain.

Habitat: Brackish marshes, ditches and shores in the outer coastal plain. Stem: is slightly triangular, grows to about 6 or 7 feet tall, with long, slender, narrow leaves that look like tall blades of grass. Leaf blades: Linear tapering leaves, about a meter long and one centimeter wide with spiny, saw-toothed margins. Leaves are stiff, folded at the midrib and becoming triangular at the tip. These leaves are stiff and tough, with tiny saw teeth around the edges. The top of saw grass has many branches and branchlets. Spikelets: Each branchlet has 2-6 brown spikelets, ovoid shape has 2 or 3 spreading scales. Inflorescence: Long (0.5 m) inflorescence is formed by clusters of spikelets occurring at the end of drooping branches. Field characteristics: Leaf margins feel unmistakably like a saw; walking through a sawgrass marsh can be a painful experience.



Giant/ Big Cordgrass Spartina cynosuroides

Tall, stout, upright perennial grass growing in extensive stands reaching 2- 3 m; spreading by elongated rhizomes.

Habitat: Brackish marshes along the outer coastal plain or intermixed in marshes dominated by black needlerush. Stems: thick, round and hollow Leaf blades: Elongated, linear tapering leaf blades, up to 70 cm long and 1 to 2.5 cm wide with scabrous margins. Inflorescence: An open, terminal panicle with many spikes ascending and spreading. Spikelets: are usually 10-12 cm long. Flowers: The flowering head is green, but turns tan when seeds in late fall, Oct-Nov. Field characteristics: Giant cordgrass resembles Phragmites and occupies much of the same habitat. Phragmites has a denser inflorescence and stiff, straight leaf blades.



Salt grass/ Spikegrass Distichlis spicata

Short wiry grass 10-40 cm tall. Forms dense colonies spreading by stout rhizomes Runners on the ground level are sometimes evident.

Habitat: Salt marshes or brackish marshes, along seashores, forming dense colonies. Can tolerate salinities exceeding full strength seawater. Stem: tall stem, stiff, hollow stem, 3 feet tall Leaves: Numerous thin, linear leaves occur at 45 degree angles to the stem. Leaves are distinctly 2-ranked or arranged in one plane on opposite sides of the stem. Leaves contain overlapping sheaths and the edges of leaves are rolled inward. Inflorescence: Terminal inflorescence is a light green panicle, 1 to 6 cm long. Spikelets: small spikelets of 5-9 flowers Flowers: April-October, yellow bloom color Field characteristics: Angles of leaves are distinctive forming a ‘v’ against the stem. Saltgrass is named from the Greek word, ‘distichos’ meaning leaves are 2- ranked. Saltgrass is commonly found with Spartina patens, but it is usually "hidden" among the taller grasses with which it grows



Pickleweed/ glasswort Salicornia

Pickleweed is found throughout the marsh, mixed in with cordgrass or on the mud flats. Three species are found in coastal marshes, and one turns pink in the fall. Pickleweed is a succulent and can have a cactus

like appearance

Habitat: Grows in brackish, intertidal environment along eastern seaboard. Grows where there are changes in elevation and in areas that aren’t as “moist” as the rest of the intertidal zone Stem: grows low to the ground (rarely over 2 feet tall) and has short fleshy green stubby spikes extending from a main stem. Flowers: Late summer/ early fall Field Characteristics: looks like long green pipe cleaners attached to a long stem. Three species are found in coastal marshes, and one turns pink in the fall. Fun Fact: this is an edible plant and is often consumed as a topping for fish or seafood.



Sea Lavender Limonium spp.

Sea Lavender grows at the fringe of the upper intertidal marsh. The plant looks delicate, with long, skinny leaves that sprout small stems

as they grow upward.

Habitat: Upper marsh areas, irregularly flooded salt marshes, occasionally on coastal sand dunes Stems: Tall, thin stems, sometimes have a reddish tinge and can grow 6 to 24 inches high. Leaf Blades: Dark green, leathery, spoon-shaped leaves that grow in a circular pattern at the base of the stem Flowers: Tiny purplish-white flowers, in the summer and fall. Heaviest in summer.



Sea Oxeye Borrichia frutescens

Sea oxeye is a very common shrub on the edge of saltmarshes and brackish marshes along the coast of North Carolina.

Habitat: Coastal areas, marshes, tidal flats, and lagoons. Can handle wet, brackish, sands or muds. Saline tolerant. Stems: shrub like, can grow up to 3 feet tall Leaf blades: fleshy, oval, semi-evergreen leaves, gray-green leaves Flowers: July-August, bright yellow daisy like bloom Fun fact: Wonderful nectar for pollinators.



Marsh Elder Iva frutescens

Mid to high marsh ecosystem, forming the last line of defense for shoreline erosion.

Habitat: Mid to high salt marsh-estuarine area, back dunes, and on muddy sea shores. Usually occur at elevations where their roots are not subject to prolonged water table flooding, such as the upland border of salt marshes. Stems: Grow between 3-8 feet, shrub like woody stem Leaves: Succulent leaves, egg-shaped to narrowly lance-shaped. Leaves grow 4-6 inches long and 1-2 inches wide. Green color Flowers: Greenish white flower heads, Aug-Oct. Fun Fact: Marsh Elder acts as a final place a refuge for many organisms during an extremely high tide.



Seaside Goldenrod Solidago sempervirens

Native, late-flowering plant found in coastal areas along the east coast.

Habitat: Stands of goldenrod colonize blowouts, grasslands, and transition areas of salt-marshes. Stem: Thick, green stem, can grow up to 6 ft tall. Grows in cluster. Leaf blade: Fleshy, somewhat succulent, dark green, oblong, and lance shaped. Arranged alternately along the entire length of the stem. Leaves at the base are the largest, up to 8 in. long and 1 inch wide. The size gradually decreases once you go up the plant. Flowers: Terminal flower heads, bloom august-October, have clusters spikes of bright yellow flowers.



Resources:

EPA Coastal Wetlands: https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/coastal-wetlands

NC DEQ: Get to know Coastal Wetlands: https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/coastal-management/coastal-management-

estuarine-shorelines/wetlands/get-to-know-coastal-wetlands

N.C. Wetland Assessment Method User Manual:

https://files.nc.gov/ncdeq/Water%20Quality/Surface%20Water%20Protection/PDU/NC%20WAM/NCWAM%20Users%2

0Manual%20and%20appendices%20v4.1.pdf

Common Wetlands of North Carolina:

https://files.nc.gov/ncdeq/Water%20Quality/Surface%20Water%20Protection/401/Policies_Guides_Manuals/Common

%20Wetlands%20Plants%20of%20NC.pdf

https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/coastal-wetlands

https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/coastal-management/coastal-management-estuarine-shorelines/wetlands/get-to-know-coastal-wetlands

https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/coastal-management/coastal-management-estuarine-shorelines/wetlands/get-to-know-coastal-wetlands

https://files.nc.gov/ncdeq/Water%20Quality/Surface%20Water%20Protection/PDU/NC%20WAM/NCWAM%20Users%20Manual%20and%20appendices%20v4.1.pdf

https://files.nc.gov/ncdeq/Water%20Quality/Surface%20Water%20Protection/PDU/NC%20WAM/NCWAM%20Users%20Manual%20and%20appendices%20v4.1.pdf

https://files.nc.gov/ncdeq/Water%20Quality/Surface%20Water%20Protection/401/Policies_Guides_Manuals/Common%20Wetlands%20Plants%20of%20NC.pdf

https://files.nc.gov/ncdeq/Water%20Quality/Surface%20Water%20Protection/401/Policies_Guides_Manuals/Common%20Wetlands%20Plants%20of%20NC.pdf



Appendix:

Inflorescence: The complete flower head of a plant including stems, stalks, bracts, and flowers. The arrangement of the flowers on a plant. The process of flowering.

Spikelet: The basic unit of a grass flower, consisting of two glumes or outer bracts at the base and one or more florets above.

Leaf Order:



Leaf Shapes:

Documents

UNCW MarineQuest & AmeriCorps STORM SURGE PROTECTORS · STORM SURGE PROTECTORS Vegetation Field Guide Appendix: Inflorescence: The complete flower head of a plant including stems,