Distichlis littoralis

Shore grass

Family: Poaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.2

Shore grass is a California native perennial found in southern California coastal regions, Channel Islands, and the Salton Sea area in salt marshes at sea level. Flowering from April to August, this plant produces small, inconspicuous flowers nestled within its dense, prostrate foliage. Growing as a low-spreading mat with stems extending 3 to 8 decimeters long, it forms extensive ground-covering patches in saline environments. Its leaves are distinctive, measuring 4 to 12 millimeters long and sharply folded, creating a compact, tightly structured appearance. The plant's spikelets are typically concealed by leaves, with 3 to 5 florets and intricate leaf venation.

Habitat: Salt marshes

Bloom period: Apr-Aug

Elevation: +- 0 m.

Bioregions: SCo, ChI, DSon (Salton Sea)

California counties: San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.