COASTALSALT MARSH

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RAQUEL REYNOLDS - ASSIGNMENT 3 - PLANT COMMUNITY - LA 6441 PLANT ECOLOGY - PROF. JERRY TAYLOR - APRIL- 2019

DESCRIPTIONSOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Coastal Salt Marshes are inter-tidal ecosystems engineers. They typically occur

in areas of calm ocean energy, where mud flats, estuaries, and lagoons receive

nourishment from rivers and streams. They include areas sheltered by sand em-

bankments or barrier islands, and have a somewhat flat topography with low

elevations.

The plants in this community are adapted to high salinity, and in California are

also sometimes found inland in wet high-salinity desert areas. These plants are

called halophytes, from Greek halas meaning ‘salt,’ and phyton meaning ‘plants.’

EMERGENCELOS ANGELES COUNTY

They emerge when tidal-flats gain elevation in relation to mean sea level by sedi-

ment accretion. This causes a decrease in rate of tidal flooding and permits veg-

etation to grow on the exposed land. River and stream waters keep adding sedi-

ment and mats of algae help fix the particles and protect from erosion.

This environment allows pioneering species like Glassworts (Salicornia spp.) and

Cordgrass (Spartina spp.) to take hold and begin the ecological succession of

the mudflat into a salt marsh. Once vegetation is established, further sediment

accretion increases the elevation of the marsh and species that prefer higher

elevations can colonize those areas and a succession of plant communities can

then develop. Plants such as sea lavenders (Limonium spp.), plantains (Plantago

spp.), and various sedges and rushes grow once the mud has been vegetated by

the pioneer species.

PIONEERING PLANTS COMPETITION AND ESTABLISHMENT PLANTS

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BEING TESTED FOR BIOFUELPHITOREMEDIATION

FOOD PLANT - HIGHLY NUTRITIOUSMEDICINE BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

SALT EXTRATION BY KAWAIISU INDIANSLIVESTOCK FEED

GOOD FOR RESTORATION OF DEGRADED COASTAL AREAS

GOOD FOR POLLINATORS WIDELY USED IN THE CARIBBEAN AS A MEDICINAL TEA OF MANY PURPOSES.

GOOD FOR POLLINATORS

COAST ROSEMARYLimonium californicum

NATIVE, CULTIVATED

Perennial, flowering herb, 18-in, the basal rosette grows from a woody rhizome. Thick and leathery leaves are oval and grow up to about 15 inches long.

Blooms from June to September. It bears large clusters of lavender/pink flowers

SALT MARSH FLEABANEPluchea odorata

NATIVE, CULTIVATED

Annual or perennial herb, grows erect up to 3-feet. Coated in rough hairs, it is strongly aromatic. The leaves are toothed and oval 4.7 in long and alternate on the stiff stems.Bright pinkish or magenta, it displays large clusters of profuse flowers with heads less than .5-in.

CALIFORNIA CORDGRASSSpartina foliosa, Reclassified as Sporobolus foliosus

NATIVE, UNKNOWN IF CULTIVATED

THREATENED by the invasive Spartina al-ternifolia, this perennial grass is the first to pioneer in emergent salt marshes. The single or clumping stems can grow to 5-feet tall. Most are green but turn red in Fall. Blooms from July to November

PICKLEWEEDSalicornia pacifica NATIVE, CULTIVATED

Small annual herbs that grows prostrate to erect, with succulent, branched and divided stems. Food plant for some butterflies. Most are green but turn red in Fall.

Blooms from July to November

FOOD PLANT FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLESTRAW ART BY PRE-COLUMBIAN PEOPLE

SALTWORTBatis maritima NATIVE, UNKNOWN IF CULTIVATED

This perennial forms dense colonies in salt marshes, it is a pioneer plant and it rapidly covers areas where the natural vegetation has been destroyed. The succulent leaves are opposite and sessile, it bears small, white flowers but they are incompatible and the plant is wind pollinated.

SALT GRASSDistichlis spicata

NATIVE, CULTIVATED

This is a hardy perennial erect grass that can get up to 20 inches but is generally lower. The stems are stiff and solid, and the leaves are up to 4 inches in length and may be crusted with salt. There are male and female plants, the inflorescence may be green or purple-tinted and the flowers

SEABLITESuaeda californica

NATIVE, CULTIVATED

RARE PLANT, see and photograph, do not molest. Mounding shrub, up to 26 inches with succulent green or red-tinged leaves. The woody stems have many branches, the new leaves are lance-shaped and up to 1.5 inches long. The flowers occur along the stems, between leaves. The fruit grows within the calyx of the flowers.

MARSH JAUMEAJaumea carnosa

NATIVE, CULTIVATED

This plant has succulent green leaves, the stems are soft pink/green, the flowers are yellow and it spread extensively by a rhi-zome system. It ranges from British Colum-bia to northern Baja California with some populations on the Channel Islands of Cali-fornia.Blooms from May to July.