ˈspärt ə nə noun
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek spartinē rope, cord; akin to Greek speira spiral — more at spire
1. capitalized : a small but widely distributed genus of grasses occurring chiefly in salt marshes along the coastal regions of Europe and No. and So. America and having stiff culms, panicled spikelets, and flowers with three glumes
2. also spartina grass -s : any grass of the genus Spartina — called also cord grass ; see marsh grass , salt grass