Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Cladium jamaicense
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Sawgrass at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
This is the famous sawgrass which dominates many square miles in the Everglades of s. FL (where underlain by oolite). The leaves can cut flesh or clothing, per Weakley's Flora (2022)
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 23 (2002)
Cladium jamaicense
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 030-14-002:
Cladium jamaicense FAMILY Cyperaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Mariscus jamaicensis
COMMON NAME:
Sawgrass
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_maja3_001_lvd
The famous sawgrass which dominates many square miles in the Everglades, per Weakley's Flora (2015).
)
Keith Bradley kab_c_jamaicense_74761
March Miami-Dade County FL
Everglades National Park
Leafy-stemmed plant to 10' tall, from large stolons, per Wildflowers of the Carolina Lowcountry (Porcher, 1995).
)
Keith Bradley kab_c_jamaicense_74771
March Miami-Dade County FL
Everglades National Park
Stolons about 1cm in diameter sheathed by scalelike leaves 1.5-2cm long, per Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Southeastern United States (Godfrey & Wooten, 1979 & 1981).
)
Keith Bradley kab_c_jamaicense_74775
March Miami-Dade County FL
Everglades National Park
Leaf margins and midribs with dangerous saw-teeth, per Wildflowers of the Carolina Lowcountry (Porcher, 1995).
)
Keith Bradley kab_c_jamaicense_71461
May Miami-Dade County FL
Everglades National Park
Inflorescence a narrow panicle 3-9dm long, per Weakley's Flora (2015).
)
Keith Bradley kab_c_jamaicense_71471
May Miami-Dade County FL
Everglades National Park
Panicle branches bearing several fascicles of spikelets, per Weakley's Flora (2015).
)
Keith Bradley kab_c_jamaicense_71475
May Miami-Dade County FL
Everglades National Park
Spikelets each w one fertile floret, below it 2-3 spirally imbricate scales, per Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Southeastern United States (Godfrey & Wooten, 1979 & 1981).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Cladium jamaicense
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 23
Cladium jamaicense
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 030-14-002:
Cladium jamaicense
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Mariscus jamaicensis
3082
Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Perennial
Habitat: In circumneutral to alkaline situations, including brackish marshes, and rarely inland in pine savannas underlain by coquina limestone (NC) or in salt glades (s. AR), per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Common in Coastal Plain
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
IS THE PLANT "ARMED"?
Leaf margins and midrib (beneath) harshly serrate (saw-toothed)
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Scales chestnut-colored
Perianth absent
Superior ovary
Bisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Olive/Purplish
Nutlet
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p464
- Wildflowers of the Carolina Lowcountry (Porcher, 1995) p097
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