Fakahatchee Grass, Eastern Gama Grass

Tripsacum dactyloides (L.) L.

TRIP-sah-cum  dac-till-OID-ees

Poaceae

Explanation of name: According to HIT, the origin of the name Tripsacum is unknown but may come from Greek, tribein, to rub, alluding to the smooth joints. Dactyloides comes from Greek dactylos, finger, in reference to the fingerlike inflorescence spikes.

Natural range: New England to Nebraska to Texas to the tropical Caribbean. Native to Florida (HIT)

Native habitat: Shores, swamps, hammocks, and other wet places (HIT, WU1, YAR)

Recognition: Very large clumping grass popular for landscaping, up to 9’ tall but usually shorter. Inflorescences with more or less umbellate clusters of fingerlike tips, these breaking apart in fruit.

Landscape uses: Very large dramatic clumping rhizomatous grasses. Useful as individual clumps or massed to fill large spaces if adequate water is available.  May be cut back hard in winter if foliage becomes unattractive.

Similar species: Florida Gama Grass is Tripsacum floridanum Porter ex Vasey. It resembles Fakahatchee Grass but is smaller (usually under 3’ tall with leaves < ½” (vs. 1”) wide), and has hairs on the undersides of the blades. The non-native Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana) is of similar size but has fuzzy flower clusters.

Notes: The brown or rust-colored fringe seen hanging from the “fingers” at the top of the flowering stalk is made up of the stamens, which are the pollen-bearing portions of the flowers.