Paspalum vaginatum

Native to Florida

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You may recognize this species by its forked pairs of spikelet branches at the tips of relatively tall stems, growing in dense colonies on beaches, salt marsh margins, and brackish, disturbed sites nearly throughout Florida (Wunderlin, 2003). It is eaten by geese, manatees and other wildlife. Its almost identical twin, Paspalum distichum, knot grass, grows on freshwater shores.

Seashore paspalum is a grass. stems to 30 in. tall, erect or leaning at base; leaf blades folded or flat, smooth, tapering to tip, to 6 in. long, to 3/8 in. wide, long hairs at base; sheaths conspicuous; inflorescence 2 spreading branches at tip of stem, branches to 2 1/2 in. long; spikelets in 2 rows; flowers dense, on underside only; seeds flat, rounded, white, smooth