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Floristic Inventory of the Florida Keys Database Online

Cladium jamaicense Crantz
Saw-grass, Jamaica swamp sawgrass

Cladium jamaicense
Copyright by: Roger L. Hammer

Family: Cyperaceae

Group: Monocot

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Herb

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Southern United States, the West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America.

IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Secure

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Comments: Visit our Natives For Your Neighborhood website for more information and images.

Synonyms: Mariscus jamaicense.

FLORIDA KEYS Occurrence: Present

FLORIDA KEYS Native Status: Native

IRC FLORIDA KEYS Status: Rare

Map of select IRC data for the Florida Keys

Florida Keys History and Distribution: Reported in 1913 by John Kunkel Small for low pinelands and hammocks in the lower Keys.  We consider this native and extant from the upper Keys to the lower Keys.

Other data on Cladium jamaicense available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants

Cladium jamaicense has been reported from the following 12 conservation areas in the FLORIDA KEYS :
Occurrence Native Status
Bahia Honda State Park Present Native
Big Torch Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammocks Botanical State Park Present Native
Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge Reported
Little Hamaca Park Reported
Little Torch Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Middle Torch Hammocks Parcel 3063, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
National Key Deer Refuge Present Native
Ramrod Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Spoonbill Sound Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Sugarloaf Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park A Doubtfull Record




Cladium jamaicense has been reported for the following 5 habitats in THE FLORIDA KEYS :
Coastal Interdunal Swale
Disturbed Wetland
Freshwater Tidal Swamp
Pine Rockland
Sinkhole


All Images:

Cladium jamaicense
Copyright by: Roger L. Hammer
Cladium jamaicense
Copyright by: James Johnson, 2014
In habitat, Everglades National Park, Florida
Cladium jamaicense
Copyright by: Jay Horn via iNaturalist
Cladium jamaicense
Copyright by: Jay Horn via iNaturalist
Cladium jamaicense
Copyright by: Keith A. Bradley
Cladium jamaicense
Copyright by: Susan Trammell