Tasmania has one native and one introduced species of Sporobolus. The native species, S. virginicus (salt couch) is a small low-growing grass of coastal sands. The introduced species, S. africanus (ratstail grass) is a coarse tufted weed of dry areas, mostly near the coast. The inflorescence is a dense spike-like panicle. The spikelets have a single flower, lack awns and are lead-coloured