Triglochin maritima

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Sea Arrowgrass
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Juncaginaceae
Genus: Triglochin
Species: T. maritima
Binomial name
Triglochin maritima

Sea arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima) is a variety of arrowgrass found in brackish marshes, freshwater marshes, wet sandy beaches, fens, damp grassland and bogs. It has a circumboreal distribution, occurring throughout the northern Northern Hemisphere. In the British Isles it is common on the coast, but very rare inland.


It is like Marsh arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris) but has the following differences: it has stolons, is stouter. The leaves are fleshy and not furrowed above. It is not very aromatic. The raceme are more dense and like sea plantain. The flowers are fleshier. The fruits are oval, 4mm long, 2mm wide.[1]

It varies in height from 8-30 inches (to 45 cm). It flowers in May to August; flowers are greenish, 3 petalled, edged with purple, 1/8 inch (2mm) across, in a long spike.[2] [3] Common names include Common Arrowgrass, Sea Arrowgrass, Shore Arrowgrass and Seaside Arrowgrass.

It can be an annual or perennial. [4]

Triglochin concinna is often included in this species.[5]


  1. ^ Rose, Francis (2006). The Wild Flower Key. Frederick Warne & Co. p. 488. ISBN 978-0-7232-5175-0. 
  2. ^ Common Arrow-grass (Triglochin maritima)
  3. ^ Sterry, Paul (2006). Complete British Wild Flowers. HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. p. 188. ISBN 978-0-00-781484-8. 
  4. ^ Phillips, Roger (1994). Wild Flowers of Britain. Macmillan Reference Books. p. 52. ISBN 0-330-25183-X. 
  5. ^ Flora of North America