Wiregrass grown from seeds obtained on Florida flatwood and sandhill sites

The results of our 2 long-term studies indicate that while it may be best to restore a site with wiregrass (Aristida beyrichinia Trin. & Rupr. [Poaceae]) obtained from a similar site, it does not seem to be essential. In the first study, after 12 y, plants grown on a flatwood site in south-central Florida from seeds collected at a sandhill site (2 locations) in north-central Florida had 83% survival and average aboveground dry mass was 39 g/plant (1.4 oz) with basal diameter of 11.6 cm (4.6 in). In a second study, wiregrass plants from seeds collected at 8 locations (8 entries) across Florida were grown on a flatwood site in central Florida. Four of these entries were also grown on a sandhill site in north Florida. After 4 y on the flatwood site, one entry originating from a nearby flatwood survived better (88%) than the 7 other entries. One entry from a sandhill was notably inferior in survival (3%), but for the remaining 6 entries survival was similar (average 32%). On the sandhill site, the same entry of flatwood origin that had 88% survival on a flatwood had 92% survival, while the other 3 entries averaged 7% survival. Plant dry mass and diameter were not strongly associated with plant origin. Mass averaged 14.8 and 3.1 g/plant (0.52 and 0.11 oz) and diameter averaged 63 and 30 mm/plant (2.5 and 1.8 in) on the flatwood and sandhill sites, respectively.