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Gymnopogon brevifolius Trinius. Common name: Pineland Skeleton Grass, Pineland Beard Grass. Phenology: Jul-Dec. Habitat: Pine savannas, sandhills, dry woodlands, prairies, calcareous glades, typically in dry sandy or clay hardpan soils. Distribution: S. NJ south to s. FL, west to LA, AR, and e. TX; disjunct inland in the Highland Rim of KY and TN and w. SC in the uppermost Piedmont in the Blue Ridge Escarpment region.

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, ETx1, F, FlGr, FNA25, G, HC, K4, RAB, S, S13, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, WH3, Cialdella & Zuloaga (2011), Smith (1971). Basionym: Gymnopogon brevifolius Trin. 1824

Links to other floras: = Gymnopogon brevifolius - FNA25

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 8

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image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Weakley source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Weakley source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Daniel Stern | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

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Height: 2 ft

plant sale text: Shortleaf skeletongrass is an interesting native grass that occurs in dry, sandy woodlands and roadsides throughout the Southeastern U.S. The sprawling stems of shortleaf skeletongrass are topped with open panicles of feathery flowers in late summer and into early fall. It has been suggested that this distinctive species gets its name because the leaves and flower stalks are perpendicular to the stem, like bones in a ribcage.

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native range: southeastern United States



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