Florida's Native Plant Communities

Coastal Grassland

  • Coastal grassland near Windmark Beach, Florida panhandle.  Photo by Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter

  • Coastal grassland, Mexico Beach, Florida panhandle.

Photographs belong to the photographers who allow use for FNPS purposes only.

Information

Community Variants:

N/A

Description:

Coastal grasslands occur on flat, sandy substrates and range from xeric to mesic conditions. They may be found in both subtropical and temperate regions. These systems are shaped by periodic fires, which help maintain their open character.


Vegetation

The vegetation is diverse but generally dominated by grasses, herbs, and shrubs, with or without scattered slash pine ( Pinus elliottii ) and/or cabbage palm ( Sabal palmetto ).

References:

Duever, L. C. (1986). Florida’s natural communities: Overwash plains and coastal berms. The Palmetto, 6(1), 10–11. http://fnps.org/assets/pdf/palmetto/v06i1p10duever.pdf


Florida Department of Environmental Protection. (1992). Soil and water relationships of Florida's ecological communities. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/wetlands/delineation/docs/soil-and-water.pdf


Florida Natural Areas Inventory. (2010). Guide to the natural communities of Florida: 2010 edition. Florida Natural Areas Inventory. http://fnai.org/naturalcommguide.cfm


Gann, G. D., Bradley, K. A., & Woodmansee, S. W. (2009). Floristic inventory of South Florida database. Institute for Regional Conservation. http://regionalconservation.org/ircs/database/database.asp


Knight, G. R., Oetting, J. B., & Cross, L. (2011). Atlas of Florida's natural heritage: Biodiversity, landscapes, stewardship and opportunities. Institute of Science and Public Affairs, Florida State University.


Myers, R. L., & Ewel, J. J. (Eds.). (1990). Ecosystems of Florida. University of Central Florida Press.


Noss, R. F. (2013). Forgotten grasslands of the South: Natural history and conservation. Island Press.


U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. (198?). 26 ecological communities of Florida. http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00000110/00001


Whitney, E. N., Means, D. B., & Rudloe, A. (2004). Priceless Florida: Natural ecosystems and native species. Pineapple Press.

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