Flora of the Southeastern United States

Gymnopogon chapmanianus A.S. Hitchcock. Common name: Chapman’s Skeleton Grass, Chapman's Beard Grass. Phenology: Aug-Dec. Habitat: Longleaf pine sandhills, Florida scrub, and other xeric, sandy habitats. Distribution: Se. GA south to s. FL.

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: There remains some question as to whether G. floridanus should indeed be lumped into G. chapmanianus. Hitchcock (1951) and Smith (1971) recognized G. floridanus; however, even Smith suggested potential hybridizing issues. Later authors (Smith 2003; Zuloaga 2011) suggest some distinctiveness but too much overlap to justify species rank. Hitchcock (1951) separates G. floridanus as having "Spikes spreading or reflexed, usually fewer than 15; glumes not spreading, even in mature spikelets," compared with G. chapmanianus with "Spikes stiffly ascending, usually more than 20; glumes widely spreading even on young spikelets." Additionally, G. floridanus is alleged to have leaf blades ca. 3 cm long, 2-4 mm wide (although sometimes to 6 cm long and wide), and lemmas 2-2.2 mm long vs. G. chapmanianus with leaf blades ca. 5-6 cm long, ca. 5 cm wide, and lemmas awnless or with a minute awn. Additional study is warranted.

Synonymy ⓘ: = FlGr, FNA25, K4, S, WH3, Cialdella & Zuloaga (2011); = n/a — S13; > Gymnopogon chapmanianus Hitchc. — HC, Smith (1971); > Gymnopogon floridanus Swallen — HC, SFla, Smith (1971); Gymnopogon chapmanianus Hitchc. Basionym: Gymnopogon chapmanianus Hitchc. 1915

Links to other floras: = Gymnopogon chapmanianus - FNA25

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 9