Abstract: In the waterlevelfluctuating zone (WLFZ) of the Three Gorges Reservoir, vegetation restoration is challenged not only by submersion for long periods, but also by sand deposition, drought, and other factors. To study the influence of sand burial and drought on the germination and growth of Paspalum distichum in the WLFZ of the Three Gorges Reservoir, P. distichum was transplanted and buried in sand of several particle sizes at various depths after antiseasonal flooding. Results showed that germinating seedlings of P. distichum in the WLFZ could not penetrate sand layers deeper than 8 cm with a particle size of less than 2 mm. As particle size decreased, the emergence rate dropped sharply. Under the condition of 4 cm depth, the leaf formation and development were significantly promoted, and leaf number, leaf length and leaf width were significantly accelerated with the increase of particle size. However, combined stress of sand burial and drought significantly inhibited the growth and development of seedlings, and plant height, leaf number, leaf length and leaf width were significantly restrained. The photosynthetic electron transport rate and the heat dissipation ability of the seedlings declined significantly with the decrease of particle size, and their death rate increased significantly. Thus, the ability of P. distichum for growth was significantly reduced with the decrease of particle size and the increase of burial depth under combined stress of sand burial and drought, which would lead to more rapid decline of P. distichum population in the WLFZs of the Three Gorges Reservoir.