{"assessment":{"band":"Good","factor_identity":{"basis":"approved shared identity","growth_habit_source":"USDA PLANTS","name_used":"Distichlis spicata"},"factor_scopes":{"bees":"Southeastern North America","birds":"North America","caterpillars":"Host genera of native Lepidoptera with established Georgia range; association and range overlap, not confirmed local feeding.","specialists":"Eastern North America","structure":"USDA species growth habit where matched; otherwise sourced atlas growth habit"},"factors":{"applied_insect_credit":0,"baseline_score":33,"composite":0.551,"insect_support":{"credit":0,"groups":{"ants":{"credit":0,"flower_visits":[],"label":"Ants","recorded_name_count":null,"recorded_names":[],"seed_interactions":[],"status":"unknown"},"beetles":{"credit":0,"flower_visits":[],"label":"Beetles","recorded_name_count":null,"recorded_names":[],"seed_interactions":[],"status":"unknown"},"flies":{"credit":0,"flower_visits":[],"label":"Flies","recorded_name_count":null,"recorded_names":[],"seed_interactions":[],"status":"unknown"},"moths_butterflies":{"credit":0,"flower_visits":[],"label":"Adult butterflies / moths","recorded_name_count":null,"recorded_names":[],"seed_interactions":[],"status":"unknown"},"other_hymenoptera":{"credit":0,"flower_visits":[],"label":"Other wasps","recorded_name_count":null,"recorded_names":[],"seed_interactions":[],"status":"unknown"},"other_insects":{"credit":0,"flower_visits":[],"label":"Other insects","recorded_name_count":null,"recorded_names":[],"seed_interactions":[],"status":"unknown"}},"interpretation":"One provisional point per additional documented insect group, capped at five. Flower visits are a resource-use proxy, not confirmed feeding or pollination. Missing evidence is unknown. Study volume and repeated records earn no extra credit.","maximum_credit":5,"version":"insect-support-1"},"pct":{"bees":0.24379652605459057,"birds":0.7481389578163772,"caterpillars":0.6947890818858561,"specialists":0.4323821339950372,"structure":0.5},"rank_pct":0.325,"raw":{"bees":0,"birds":2,"caterpillars":6,"genus_used":null,"specialists":0,"structure":["Graminoid"]}},"fit_score":null,"native_basis":"native_inferred","rarity_adjustment":0,"rarity_policy":"Conservation status is displayed separately and never changes ecological scores, including when unranked.","reason":"Calculated with the shared rules using Georgia host-range and shared ecological evidence.","reference":"NC native reference cohort, method 0.6.4; not a Georgia percentile","score":33,"scoring_inputs":{"harm_penalty":0,"invasive":false,"invasive_rank":null,"native":true,"state_rank":""},"source_ids":["lep_ga","globi","bigbee","avian","usdahabit","robertson","antseed"],"status":"scored_provisional","version":"shared-0.6.5"},"condition_evidence":{"light":{"evidence_id":"fact:8319ca95047be9d5a43321b09d0c47427b94d77e25244ea94515bb0a4974ef61","levels":[4],"policy":"selected-condition-categories-1","range":[4,4],"scope":{"kind":"region","region_id":"floraquest_nc_sc_ga"},"semantics":"documented_native_habitat_conditions","source_field":"habitat_light_categories","source_label":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","source_url":"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.southeastfieldguide","status":"mapped_selected_fact"},"moisture":{"evidence_id":"fact:bf219c392133bee39ea64f4ae9ff27ee5c4537e6ab1f067d392c436ee8070a5b","levels":[0,3,4],"policy":"selected-condition-categories-1","range":[0,4],"scope":{"kind":"region","region_id":"floraquest_nc_sc_ga"},"semantics":"documented_native_habitat_conditions","source_field":"habitat_moisture_categories","source_label":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","source_url":"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.southeastfieldguide","status":"mapped_selected_fact"}},"evidence":{"fit_score":null,"growth_habit":["Graminoid"],"invasive_status":{"status":"unresolved"},"native_status":{"status":"native_inferred"},"occurrence":{"county_fips":["13051","13127","13191"],"meaning":"Recorded occurrence; not a county native-range assertion"},"quercus_score":null,"regional":{"county_fips":["13051","13127","13191"],"growth_habit":null,"growth_habit_source":null,"invasive":null,"invasive_evidence":[],"invasive_rank":null,"native":true,"native_basis":"usda_l48_and_nc_flora_without_atlas_flag","native_evidence":[{"claim":"native","matched_name":"Distichlis spicata","scope":"L48","source":"usda","text":"CAN:N HI:I L48:N","url":"https://plants.usda.gov/"},{"claim":"native","matched_name":"Distichlis spicata","scope":"NC","source":"nc_flora","url":"https://auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov/flora/"}],"native_status":"native_inferred","source_ids":["sernec:1700"],"source_name":"Distichlis spicata","source_refs":["GA-checklist-7.html","sernec_county"],"source_url":"https://sernecportal.org/portal/checklists/checklist.php?pagenumber=7&clid=3416&dynclid=0&pid=84&searchsynonyms=1","state_rank":null},"source_refs":["GA-checklist-7.html","sernec_county"],"source_url":"https://sernecportal.org/portal/checklists/checklist.php?pagenumber=7&clid=3416&dynclid=0&pid=84&searchsynonyms=1","state_rank":{"value":null}},"fit_inputs":{"light":[4,4],"moisture":[0,4],"ph":[6.4,10]},"fit_provenance":{"counties":"USDA PLANTS: recorded in 10 NC counties","light":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","moisture":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","ph":"USDA PLANTS"},"fit_record":{"band":"Good","condition_evidence":{"light":{"evidence_id":"fact:8319ca95047be9d5a43321b09d0c47427b94d77e25244ea94515bb0a4974ef61","levels":[4],"policy":"selected-condition-categories-1","range":[4,4],"scope":{"kind":"region","region_id":"floraquest_nc_sc_ga"},"semantics":"documented_native_habitat_conditions","source_field":"habitat_light_categories","source_label":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","source_url":"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.southeastfieldguide","status":"mapped_selected_fact"},"moisture":{"evidence_id":"fact:bf219c392133bee39ea64f4ae9ff27ee5c4537e6ab1f067d392c436ee8070a5b","levels":[0,3,4],"policy":"selected-condition-categories-1","range":[0,4],"scope":{"kind":"region","region_id":"floraquest_nc_sc_ga"},"semantics":"documented_native_habitat_conditions","source_field":"habitat_moisture_categories","source_label":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","source_url":"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.southeastfieldguide","status":"mapped_selected_fact"}},"county_fips":["13051","13127","13191","37013","37019","37031","37053","37055","37095","37129","37133","37137","37141","45013","45019","45043","45053"],"fit_inputs":{"light":[4,4],"moisture":[0,4],"ph":[6.4,10]},"fit_note":"Shared sunlight, moisture and pH calculation; county geography is an additional layer. Missing source traits remain unknown.","fit_provenance":{"counties":"USDA PLANTS: recorded in 10 NC counties","light":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","moisture":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","ph":"USDA PLANTS"},"garden_suitability":{"default_excluded":false,"flags":[],"review_status":"not_assessed"},"invasive_rank":false,"native_eligible":true,"quercus_score":33,"state":"GA"},"garden_suitability":{"default_excluded":false,"flags":[],"review_status":"not_assessed"},"growing_observations":{"eol_usda":{"archive_doi":"10.5281/zenodo.22129810","matched_name":"Distichlis spicata","retrieved":"2026-09-30","scope":"Nationwide approximate species characteristics; tolerance categories do not specify sun hours or moisture requirements","scoring_allowed":false,"source_label":"USDA PLANTS via EOL TraitBank","source_sha256":"04bb6a5292502ddc757bb909f4151de4b9aaea042223dfb486ffe2a94a2564db","source_url":"http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=DISP","trait_evidence":[{"citation":"The PLANTS Database, United States Department of Agriculture, National Resources Conservation Service. http://plants.usda.gov/","eol_page":"https://eol.org/pages/1114104","field":"drought_tolerance","method":"Compares the relative tolerance of the plant to drought conditions to other species with the same growth habit from the same geographical region. Drought tolerance is defined here in the following fashion: Imagine that in an acre of land there are low areas that have heavy soil and tend to accumulate more soil moisture, and higher areas that have coarse textured soil and tend to accumulate less soil moisture. Some plant species are most frequently found growing in the higher areas with the coarse soil texture. These plant species are considered to be more drought tolerant than the species that are frequently found in the low areas with fine textured soil.","source_url":"http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=DISP","trait_id":"R133-PK288755568","trait_label":"drought tolerance","value":"medium (normal)"},{"citation":"The PLANTS Database, United States Department of Agriculture, National Resources Conservation Service. http://plants.usda.gov/","eol_page":"https://eol.org/pages/1114104","field":"moisture_use","method":"","source_url":"http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=DISP","trait_id":"R133-PK288766495","trait_label":"moisture use","value":"medium"},{"citation":"The PLANTS Database, United States Department of Agriculture, National Resources Conservation Service. http://plants.usda.gov/","eol_page":"https://eol.org/pages/1114104","field":"shade_tolerance","method":"","source_url":"http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=DISP","trait_id":"R133-PK288785915","trait_label":"shade tolerance","value":"low tolerance"}],"values":{"drought_tolerance":"medium (normal)","moisture_use":"medium","shade_tolerance":"low tolerance"}},"floraquest_carolinas_georgia":{"matched_name":"Distichlis spicata","retrieved":"2026-10-04T13:31:16.252589+00:00","scope":{"kind":"region","region_id":"floraquest_nc_sc_ga"},"scope_note":"Original regional ecological and identification evidence; no location-specific gardening adjustments.","source_label":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","source_name":"Distichlis spicata","source_record_id":1982,"source_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_url":"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.southeastfieldguide","trait_evidence":[{"field":"habitat_description","source_column":"HabitatText","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":1982,"source_table":"Organism","value":"Coastal marshes and shores, especially common in hypersaline flats or \"salt pannes\" (where infrequent tidal inundation is followed by evaporation, concentrating the salinity)."},{"field":"geographic_range_description","source_column":"Description","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":1982,"source_table":"Organism","value":"Widespread in the Americas, along coastal shores and rarely inland in saline seeps (such as in Missouri; Yatskievych 1999)."},{"field":"phenology_source_text","source_column":"Phenology","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":1982,"source_table":"Organism","value":"Late May-Oct."},{"field":"taxonomic_synonymy","source_column":"Synonymy","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":1982,"source_table":"Organism","value":"[= F, G, HC, K1, S, Tat, Bell, Harrington, & Reid (2025); = Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene ssp. spicata ; = Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene var. spicata — C, Mo1, Tx; Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene — Ar, Bah, Can, ETx1, FlGr, FNA25, GW1, K4, Meso6, Mex, NcTx, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, S13, SFla, Va, WH3; > Distichlis stricta (Torr.) Rydb. — G, HC]"},{"field":"botanical_comments","source_column":"Comments","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":1982,"source_table":"Organism","value":"Two varieties (or subspecies or species) have often been recognized: var. spicata ranging along the Atlantic coast from NS and PE south to tropical America, and on the Pacific coast of North America, and var. stricta (Torrey) Lamson-Scribner widespread in saline situations in western North America. Recognition of two taxa has generally been viewed unfavorably in recent decades (e.g. Barkworth in FNA 2003a), but Bell, Harrington, & Reid (2025) make a strong case for their recognition on cytological, morphological, and ecological grounds. \"One of the chief components of 'marsh hay' \" (Tatnall (1946)."},{"field":"identification_notes","source_column":"IdentificationNotes","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":1982,"source_table":"Organism","value":"Sporobolus virginicus is superficially similar to Distichlis spicata in overall aspect (a rhizomatous grass in coastal saline conditions with distichous leaf arrangement), but is generally more delicate and has hairy sheath margins and collar (vs. coarser and glabrous in Distichlis spicata )."},{"field":"heliophily_index","source_column":"HIndex","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":1982,"source_table":"Organism","value":9},{"field":"regional_wetland_indicators","source_column":"WetlandStatus1..5","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":1982,"source_table":"Organism","value":[{"source_column":"WetlandStatus1","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus2","value":"OBL"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus3","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus4","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus5","value":"FACW"}]},{"field":"habitat_moisture_categories","source_column":"Attr2","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":1982,"source_table":"GraphicKey","value":["Dry","Moist","Wet"]},{"field":"habitat_light_categories","source_column":"Attr3","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":1982,"source_table":"GraphicKey","value":["Full sun"]},{"field":"graphic_key_source_attributes","source_column":"Attr0..25","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":1982,"source_table":"GraphicKey","value":{"Attr0":"gr03","Attr1":"nc_cp,sc_cp,ga_cp,","Attr10":"no","Attr11":"p","Attr12":"me","Attr13":"3Bw7","Attr2":"Dry,Moist,Wet","Attr3":"Sun","Attr3a":"y","Attr3a_subregion":"native_nc_cp:y,native_sc_cp:y,native_ga_cp:y,","Attr4":" 5-11","Attr5":"h","Attr6":"le","Attr7":"t","Attr8":"mo","Attr9":"g"}}],"values":{"botanical_comments":"Two varieties (or subspecies or species) have often been recognized: var. spicata ranging along the Atlantic coast from NS and PE south to tropical America, and on the Pacific coast of North America, and var. stricta (Torrey) Lamson-Scribner widespread in saline situations in western North America. Recognition of two taxa has generally been viewed unfavorably in recent decades (e.g. Barkworth in FNA 2003a), but Bell, Harrington, & Reid (2025) make a strong case for their recognition on cytological, morphological, and ecological grounds. \"One of the chief components of 'marsh hay' \" (Tatnall (1946).","geographic_range_description":"Widespread in the Americas, along coastal shores and rarely inland in saline seeps (such as in Missouri; Yatskievych 1999).","graphic_key_source_attributes":{"Attr0":"gr03","Attr1":"nc_cp,sc_cp,ga_cp,","Attr10":"no","Attr11":"p","Attr12":"me","Attr13":"3Bw7","Attr2":"Dry,Moist,Wet","Attr3":"Sun","Attr3a":"y","Attr3a_subregion":"native_nc_cp:y,native_sc_cp:y,native_ga_cp:y,","Attr4":" 5-11","Attr5":"h","Attr6":"le","Attr7":"t","Attr8":"mo","Attr9":"g"},"habitat_description":"Coastal marshes and shores, especially common in hypersaline flats or \"salt pannes\" (where infrequent tidal inundation is followed by evaporation, concentrating the salinity).","habitat_light_categories":["Full sun"],"habitat_moisture_categories":["Dry","Moist","Wet"],"heliophily_index":9,"identification_notes":"Sporobolus virginicus is superficially similar to Distichlis spicata in overall aspect (a rhizomatous grass in coastal saline conditions with distichous leaf arrangement), but is generally more delicate and has hairy sheath margins and collar (vs. coarser and glabrous in Distichlis spicata ).","phenology_source_text":"Late May-Oct.","regional_wetland_indicators":[{"source_column":"WetlandStatus1","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus2","value":"OBL"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus3","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus4","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus5","value":"FACW"}],"taxonomic_synonymy":"[= F, G, HC, K1, S, Tat, Bell, Harrington, & Reid (2025); = Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene ssp. spicata ; = Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene var. spicata — C, Mo1, Tx; Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene — Ar, Bah, Can, ETx1, FlGr, FNA25, GW1, K4, Meso6, Mex, NcTx, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, S13, SFla, Va, WH3; > Distichlis stricta (Torr.) Rydb. — G, HC]"}},"usda":{"matched_name":"Distichlis spicata","retrieved":"2026-09-24","scope":"Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary","source_label":"USDA PLANTS","source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/","usda_id":22189,"values":{"bloom_season":"Mid Summer","flower_color":"Yellow","foliage_color":"Green","fruit_season_begin":"Summer","fruit_season_end":"Fall","growth_architecture":"Rhizomatous","growth_rate":"Slow","height_ft":1.1,"leaf_retention":"No"}}},"light_range":["full sun","full sun"],"light_source":"FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team)","native_synthesis":{"claims":[{"claim":"native","matched_name":"Distichlis spicata","scope":"L48","source":"usda","text":"CAN:N HI:I L48:N","url":"https://plants.usda.gov/"},{"claim":"native","matched_name":"Distichlis spicata","scope":"NC","source":"nc_flora","url":"https://auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov/flora/"}],"county_native_range":"unresolved","explanation":"Source scopes are preserved. State occurrence alone does not establish nativity; combined regional evidence is labeled estimated.","label":"Native to Georgia (estimated from combined sources)","rule":"southeast-native-synthesis-1","status":"native_inferred"},"source_name":"Distichlis spicata","taxon_id":"taxon:8033e551-a7df-51de-acac-9f69705cb205","revision":"publish:5809c037-0e9a-430a-8008-5ab6f69800c0","photos":[{"id":"distichlis-spicata-12002886","src":"/api/photos/image/98d99bda79da28ee98a287dd96077f293e7eee9021e580197f942114a6601b9a.jpg","view":"fruit","alt":"Distichlis spicata — fruit photograph","width":900,"height":600,"artist":"Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database","license":"Public domain","license_url":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Public_domain","source_url":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Distichlis_spicata_seeds.jpg","changes":"Wikimedia thumbnail; no crop or retouching"}]}