Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

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Paspalum vaginatum Sw.

pasto, Saltwater Couch

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Plantae

Phylum
Magnoliophyta

Class
Liliopsida (= Monocotyledoneae)

Order
Cyperales

Family
Poaceae

Genus
Paspalum

Species
vaginatum

Taxon category: Accepted

Many specimens (from the lagoons at Puerto Villamil) originally identified as Pennisetum clandestinum.

Origin: Native

Distribution

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

References

  • Laegaard, S. García, P.P. (2004) Invasive grasses in the Galapagos Islands. Lyonia, 6(2):171-175.
  • Lawesson, J.E. Adsersen, H. & Bentley, P. (1987) An updated and annotated check list of the vascular plants of the Galapagos islands. Rept. Bot. Inst., Univ. Aarhus 16: 1-74.
  • Wiggins, I.L. Porter, D.M. (1971) Flora of the Galapagos Islands Standford University Press, Stanford.

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Paspalum vaginatum", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=971. Accessed 3 April 2026.