The SALTdeck series
Although produced in 2006, the SALTdeck cards still have good images for identification. Note that the taxonomy of several plants has changed, and where there are multiple subspecies, the information may not be the same for all subspecies found across Australia. Always check with your local plant specialists or herbarium for accurate identification.
Links from the common name open the original SALTdeck cards. Links from the scientific name open FloraBase (Western Australian) web pages or other plant taxonomy sites.
Other species can be found growing on salt affected land. See salinity tolerance of plants for agriculture and revegetation for a more comprehensive – although still incomplete – list of species with salinity tolerances.
Comments on the plants
Alien means that the plant has been introduced from outside of Western Australia, and may have become naturalised (grows and reproduces in competition with native flora or other alien plants).
Forage value is a generalised term about the value to grazing or browsing livestock for protein and metabolisable energy. Some plants – for instance, Rhodes grass – have high forage value when young and actively growing, and very low forage value when mature and dry. Some of the plants – for instance, the saltbushes – have their best forage value in combination with other forage plants. Some plants are highly attractive to browsers, but have low digestibility. If forage value is important, send a plant sample to a laboratory for forage value analysis.
Plant types
Grasses that grow on salt affected land
| Common name | Scientific name | Salt tolerance | Waterlogging tolerance | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual ryegrass | Lolium rigidum | moderate | low | alien, high forage value |
| Australian saltgrass | Distichlis distichophylla | high | high | native, low to moderate forage value |
| Barley grass | Hordeum leporinum | low to moderate | low to moderate | alien, naturalised, moderate forage value |
| Beard grass | Polypogon monspeliensis | moderate to high | moderate to high | alien, naturalised |
| Common couch | Cynodon dactylon | moderate | moderate | native, moderate forage value |
| Curly ryegrass | Parapholis incurva | high | high | alien, naturalised, moderate forage value |
| Distichlis | Distichlis spicata | moderate to high | high | alien, forage information limited |
| Italian ryegrass | Lolium multiflorum | moderate | low | alien, high forage value |
| Kikuyu | Cenchrus clandestinus (syn. Pennisetum clandestinum) | low | moderate | alien, high forage value |
| Marine couch | Sporobolus virginicus | moderate to high | high | native, moderate forage value |
| Prairie grass | Bromus catharticus | low | low | alien, naturalised, moderate forage value |
| Puccinellia | Puccinellia ciliata | high | high | alien, naturalised, moderate forage value |
| Rhodes grass | Chloris gayana | low | low to moderate | alien, moderate to high forage value |
| Saltwater couch | Paspalum vaginatum | moderate to high | high | native in part of range, naturalised elsewhere, forage information limited |
| Sea barley grass | Hordeum marinum | high | low to moderate | alien, naturalised, moderate forage value |
| Tall wheat grass | Thinopyrum ponticum | low to moderate | low to moderate | alien, naturalised, moderate to high forage value |
| Windmill grass | Chloris truncata | low | low | native, moderate forage value |
| Yorkshire fog | Holcus lanatus | low to moderate | low to moderate | alien, naturalised, moderate forage value |
Legumes that grow on salt affected land
| Common name | Scientific name | Salt tolerance | Waterlogging tolerance | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balansa clover | Trifolium michelianum | low to moderate | moderate | alien, high forage value |
| Barrel medic | Medicago truncatula | low to moderate | low | alien, high forage value |
| Burr medic | Medicago polymorpha | low to moderate | low to moderate | alien, high forage value |
| Gland clover | Trifolium glanduliferum | moderate | moderate | alien, high forage value |
| Persian clover | Trifolium resupinatum | low to moderate | high | alien, high forage value |
| Strawberry clover | Trifolium fragiferum | moderate | moderate | alien, high forage value |
| Woolly clover | Trifolium tomentosum | low to moderate | low to moderate | alien, moderate to high forage value |
Herbs that grow on salt affected land
| Common name | Scientific name | Salt tolerance | Waterlogging tolerance | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckshorn plantain | Plantago coronopus | moderate | moderate | alien, naturalised, moderate forage value |
| Bushy starwort | Symphyotrichum subulatum var. squamatum (syn. Aster squamatus; Symphyotrichum squamatum) | moderate | low | alien, naturalised, weed |
| Creeping brookweed | Samolus repens | high | high | native, low forage value |
| Glasswort, beaded samhire | Salicornia quinqueflora (syn. Sarcocornia quinqueflora) | high | high | native, low forage value |
| Ice plant | Mesembryanthemum crystallinum | moderate | low | alien, low forage value |
| Pigweed, purslane | Portulaca oleracea | moderate | low | native in part of range, naturalised elsewhere, low forage value, may be toxic |
| Salt sand spurrey | Spergularia marina | high | low to moderate | native, low forage value |
| Smooth heliotrope | Heliotropium curassavicum | moderate | moderate | native, weed, toxic |
| Stonecrop | Crassula sieberiana. In Western Australia, this was probably Crassula sieberiana subsp. tetramera which is now Crassula tetramera | moderate | moderate | native, low forage value |
| Streaked arrowgrass | Triglochin striata | high | high | native, low to moderate forage value |
| Water buttons | Cotula coronopifolia | high | high | native, low forage value, may be toxic |
Rushes that grow on salt affected land
| Scientific name | Common name | Salt tolerance | Waterlogging tolerance | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spiny rush | Juncus acutus | moderate | moderate to high | alien, naturalised, weed, very low forage value |
| Toad rush | Juncus bufonius | moderate | moderate to high | alien, weed, low forage value |
Shrubs that grow on salt affected land
| Common name | Scientific name | Salt tolerance | Waterlogging tolerance | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black roly poly | Sclerolaena deserticola (syn. Sclerolaena muricata) | moderate | low | native, low forage value |
| Creeping saltbush | Atriplex semibaccata | moderate | low | native, low to moderate forage value, halophyte |
| Groundsel bush | Baccharis halimifolia | moderate to low | moderate to low | alien, weed, may be toxic |
| Old man saltbush | Atriplex nummularia | moderate | low | native, moderate forage value, halophyte |
| Orache | Atriplex prostrata | moderate | moderate | native, low to moderate forage value, halophyte |
| Rhagodia | Rhagodia spp. | moderate | low | native, low forage value |
| River saltbush | Atriplex amnicola | moderate to high | moderate | native, moderate forage value, halophyte |
| Ruby saltbush | Enchylaena tomentosa | moderate | low | native, low forage value, varieties |
| Samphire | Tecticornia spp. (syn.Halosarcia spp.) | very high | very high | native, low forage value |
| Small-leaved bluebush | Maireana brevifolia | moderate | low | native, moderate forage value, toxic |
| Wavy-leaf saltbush | Atriplex undulata | moderate | moderate to low | native, moderate forage value, halophyte |
Trees that grow on salt affected land
| Common name | Scientific name | Salt tolerance | Waterlogging tolerance | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden wreath wattle | Acacia saligna | moderate | for short periods | native, low to moderate forage value (varieties) |