Chasmanthium laxum (Linnaeus) Yates. Common name: Slender Spikegrass. Phenology: May-Oct. Habitat: Savanna-pocosin ecotones, sandhill-pocosin ecotones, moist hardwood swamps, other moist habitats. Distribution: S. NY, KY, and OK south to s. FL and e. TX.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: See C. sessiliflorum for comments on the suggestion that these two taxa are only varietally or subspecifically distinct.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, ETx1, FNA25, GW1, K4, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, Tn, Tx, Va, W, Yates (1966a), Yates (1966c); = Chasmanthium laxum (L.) Yates ssp. laxum — Mo1; = Chasmanthium laxum (L.) Yates var. laxum — NcTx, WH3, Wipff & Jones (1994); = Uniola laxa (L.) Britton, Sterns, & Poggenb. — F, G, HC, RAB, S, S13, Tat; Holcus laxus Linnaeus — (basionym)
Links to other floras: = Chasmanthium laxum - FNA25
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
- Great Plains: FAC
- Midwest: FACW
- Northcentral & Northeast: FACW
Heliophily ⓘ: 5
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Horticultural Information
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Height: 2 ft.
plant sale text: Slender woodoats is a SE native grass that produces subtly beautiful upright seed heads. Its tiny seeds are borne in arching panicles. This species is smaller in stature than the better-known river-oats. It is tolerant of low light levels and various soil types. This species is commonly found near bodies of water and grows well in open-canopy forests. Easy to grow in almost any garden, it will reseed unless its seed heads are removed before the seeds drop. The Chasmanthium genus supports up to 7 species of lepidoptera.
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cultural notes:
germination code: 1
native range: eastern & central United States