If you would like to support this site, please consider Donating.
Useful Tropical Plants

Sporobolus virginicus

(L.) Kunth

Poaceae

+ Synonyms

Agrostis barbata Pers.

Agrostis congener Schumach.

Agrostis distichophylla Roem. & Schult.

Agrostis dura Willd. ex Steud.

Agrostis juncea Lam.

Agrostis littoralis Lam.

Agrostis pungens Muhl.

Agrostis tremula Willd.

Agrostis virginica L.

Aira sabuletorum Steud.

Aira sabulonum Labill.

Aira sabulonum uniflora Balansa

Aira subulorum D.Dietr.

Crypsis maritima Munro ex MacOwan

Crypsis virginica (L.) Nutt.

Podosemum virginicum (L.) Link

Sporobolus benthamii robustus Domin

Sporobolus confertus J.A.Schmidt

Sporobolus geniculatus (Nees ex Steud.) Nees ex Aitch.

Sporobolus humilis minor Veldkamp

Sporobolus littoralis (Lam.) Kunth

Sporobolus matrella Nees

Sporobolus minutus confertus (J.A.Schmidt) Lobin

Sporobolus sundaicus Ohwi

Sporobolus tremulus (Trin.) Kunth

Vilfa barbata P.Beauv.

Vilfa conferta (J.A.Schmidt) Steud.

Vilfa dura Trin.

Vilfa geniculata Nees ex Steud.

Vilfa intermedia Trin.

Vilfa littoralis (Lam.) P.Beauv.

Vilfa luxurians Steud.

Vilfa matrella Nees

Vilfa murina Sieber ex Steud.

Vilfa tremula Trin.

Vilfa virginica (L.) P.Beauv.

Zoysia tremula B.D.Jacks.

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Sporobolus virginicus is a low-growing, vigorous, evergreen perennial grass that spreads freely by rhizomes and can form large, dense colonies. The erect culms are 10 - 40cm tall, the roots can grow down to 45cm deep[
236
Title
Manual of the Grasses of the United States
Publication
 
Author
Hitchcock. A. S.
Publisher
Dover Publications. New York.
Year
1971
ISBN
0-486-22717-0
Description
A nice and comprehensive flora, though a bit dated. Good line drawings of each plant, plus a brief idea of the habitat and a few notes on plant uses. Not for the casual reader.
,
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
,
375
Title
Grassland Species - Profiles
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is used in soil stabilization programmes, especially along wind-eroded shorelines.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

236
Title
Manual of the Grasses of the United States
Publication
 
Author
Hitchcock. A. S.
Publisher
Dover Publications. New York.
Year
1971
ISBN
0-486-22717-0
Description
A nice and comprehensive flora, though a bit dated. Good line drawings of each plant, plus a brief idea of the habitat and a few notes on plant uses. Not for the casual reader.

Range

Widespread in the warm temperate to tropical zones of Africa, eastern Asia, Australasia, the Pacific, Caribbean, North and South America.

Habitat

Sandy or muddy seashores and saline marshes, sometimes forming extensive colonies[
236
Title
Manual of the Grasses of the United States
Publication
 
Author
Hitchcock. A. S.
Publisher
Dover Publications. New York.
Year
1971
ISBN
0-486-22717-0
Description
A nice and comprehensive flora, though a bit dated. Good line drawings of each plant, plus a brief idea of the habitat and a few notes on plant uses. Not for the casual reader.
]. Commonly found in coastal dune habitats, where it does best if the sea water level fluctuates from 5cm above soil surface to 15cm below[
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Perennial
Height0.25 m
PollinatorsWind
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Sporobolus virginicus is widely spread through the warm temperate to tropical regions of the world, growing mainly in coastal areas and adapted to low rainfall and high salinity[
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].
Often found wild in sand dunes, the plant also does well in a variety of different soils from clays to sands[
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
]. The plant is well adapted for growing in low-fertility soils[
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].
Although Sporobolus virginicus does produce seed, very little of it is viable. The only practical way to propagate it is by vegetative rhizomatous slips[
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant (part not specified) is used to relieve urinary irritation and throat irritation[
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

Sporobolus virginicus does very well as a dune stabilizer on wind-eroded shorelines. It has potential for stream bank stabilization and also roadside slope stabilization[
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
,
375
Title
Grassland Species - Profiles
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - the plants often produce very little viable seed. If seed is available, sow in situ and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks.
Division of the rhizomes. Actively growing rhizomes should be selected for propagation - cutting back the top growth a few weeks prior to division can increase rhizome growth. Cut the rhizomes into sections 7 - 10cm long and plant in a sterile, well drained medium in a greenhouse. Keep in 50% shade until the divisions are rooting well and then place in a sunny position and grow on until large enough to plant out.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Sporobolus+virginicus>

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.