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Coleataenia abscissa
Cutthroatgrass
Synonym(s): Panicum abscissum
Florida native
Endemic to Florida
Endangered Florida species
A rare endemic grass of wet flatwoods and seepage areas from the interior central peninsula south into Hendry, Martin and Palm Beach Counties.
One of the distinguishing features of this grass are that the leaf sheaths (near the base of the plant) are truncated into broad wedge-shaped auricles, somewhat appearing as though they have been cut off. The compressed culms form robust clumps at the base and may be up to 60cm (2 ft.) long. The leaves are keeled, up to 45cm (18 in.) long and 2.5mm (1/10 in.) wide.
with the blade base and lower margins ciliated. The inflorescence is in large airy panicles 45cm long and 9cm (3-1/2 in.) wide with ascending and somewhat appressed branches. The relatively few spikelets are glabrous.
Cutthroatgrass was previously considered in the large Panicum genus before it and several other species that were found to be more closely related to Paspalum were placed in Coleataenia.
Coleataenia abscissa is a member of the Poaceae - Grass family.
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Dec 29, 2022
