Ballona Wetlands
Coastal Salt Marsh

This plant community is the most extensive of those found in the Ballona wetlands, but, because of the destruction of coastal wetlands, it is rare on a regional basis.

Since the plants found here occur on estuarine intertidal mudflats, they must be tolerant of a wide range of conditions.  At some times, they are submerged in salt water, at others they are exposed to the air, and at yet other they may be submerged in fresh water. 

Plants of this habitat have been termed halophytes for their salt tolerance.  They have a variety of physiological and anatomical specializations for surviving in salty environments.

Examples of plants of the Ballona Wetlands coastal salt marsh are the following:

Pickleweed (Salicornia virginica and S. subterminalis)
Sea-blite (Suada californica)
Saltgrass (Distichlis spicata)
Jaumea (Jaumea carnosa)
Seaside heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum)
Alkali heath (Fankenia salina)
Alkali weed (Cressa truxillensis)
Algae - not truly plants, these organisms flourish in the tidal channels and serve as food for many invertebrates and as a source of detritus for scavengers.  They include green algae and cyanobacteria ("blue-green algae").

Coastal salt marsh description in  so. Calif. Natural History Web pages

Other plant communities in the Ballona Wetlands:
Subtidal Areas
Intertidal Mudflats
Coastal Strand
Coastal Sage Scrub
Riparian and Freshwater Marsh

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