  We explicitly calculate the orientation-dependent second virial coefficient
of short charged rods in an electrolytic solvent, assuming the rod-rod
interactions to be a pairwise sum of hard-core and segmental screened-Coulomb
repulsions. From the parallel and isotropically averaged second virial
coefficient, we calculate the effective length and diameter of the rods, for
charges and screening lengths that vary over several orders of magnitude. Using
these effective dimensions, we determine the phase diagram, where we
distinguish a low-charge and strong-screening regime with a liquid crystalline
nematic and smectic phase, and a high-charge and weak-screening regime with a
plastic crystal phase in the phase diagram.
