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Chasmanthium nitidum

(Baldw.) Yates

Shiny Spikegrass

G3Vulnerable (G3G4) Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.132619
Element CodePMPOA1D030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyPoaceae
GenusChasmanthium
Other Common Names
shiny woodoats (EN) Shiny Woodoats (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2013-02-08
Change Date2013-02-08
Edition Date2013-02-08
Edition AuthorsNordman, C.
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
An estimate of the number of occurrences is below 100. This Southeastern Coastal Plain endemic is rare at the northern and westermost edges of its range in North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama. It is documented for 28 counties in Florida, but some of the records are based on specimens over 20 years old and the occurrences may no longer exist. It may be threatened by logging, intensive forestry practices, and invasive exotic species.
Range Extent Comments
A Southeastern Coastal Plain endemic, ranging from southeastern North Carolina south to central Florida and west to southern Alabama (Godfrey and Wooten 1979, Weakley 1996).
Occurrences Comments
Chasmanthium nitidum occurs in five states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. There are two occurrences in one county in North Carolina. Documented with herbarium specimens for five counties in Georgia and 28 counties in Florida.
Threat Impact Comments
It may be threatened by logging, intensive forestry practices, and invasive exotic species.
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

Plants are slenderly rhizomatous and loosely colonial. The axils of the panicle branches and of the spiklets are glabrous. Spikelets mostly 10 mm wide and 15 mm long or so (Godfrey and Wooten 1979).

Habitat

Stream and river banks, low moist to wet woodlands, often very abundant in wet hammocks, adjacent ditches and clearings (Godfrey and Wooten 1979). Blackwater swamp forests (Weakley, 1996).
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
MississippiS1Yes
AlabamaS1Yes
North CarolinaS1Yes
South CarolinaS2Yes
FloridaS3Yes
GeorgiaS3Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh - moderate
2.2 - Wood & pulp plantationsSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh - moderate
5 - Biological resource useSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh - moderate
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh - moderate
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineModerate (short-term)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineModerate (short-term)

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Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
South Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Wambaw ExtFrancis Marion National Forest527
References (6)
  1. Godfrey, R.K., and J.W. Wooten. 1979. Aquatic and wetland plants of southeastern United States: Monocotyledons. Univ. Georgia Press, Athens. 712 pp.
  2. Jones, S.B., Jr., and N.C. Coile. 1988. The distribution of the vascular flora of Georgia. Dept. Botany, Univ. Georgia, Athens. 230 pp.
  3. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  5. Weakley, A.S. 1996. Flora of the Carolinas and Virginia: working draft of 23 May 1996. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Southern Conservation Science Dept., Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Unpaginated.
  6. Wunderlin, R.P., B.F. Hansen, and E.L. Bridges. 1996. Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants. Published on the Internet: http://www.usf.edu/isb/projects/atlas/atlas.html