Rhynchospora fernaldii
Rhynchospora inundata
Fernald's beaksedge
inundated beakrush, narrow-fruit beaksedge, narrowfruit horned beaksedge
erect or ascending, slender, leafy proximal to middle, somewhat stiff.
stiffly erect, leafy, triangular, multiribbed.
overtopped by culm;
blades ascending, ± filiform, proximally flat or slightly concave, to 1 mm wide, apex narrowing, trigonous, abruptly blunt.
erect, distal ones overtopping inflorescence;
principal blades flat proximally, trigonous distally, 3–10 mm wide, apex attenuate.
spikelet clusters 1–2, if 2 then close together, dense, broadly turbinate to hemispheric or even globose;
primary leafy bract setaceous, exceeding clusters.
terminal and axillary, clusters of corymbs (1–)2–3, open, spikelet clusters loose;
bracteal leaves mostly overtopping corymbs.
redbrown, ovoid, 2–2.5(–4) mm, apex acute;
fertile scales broadly ovate, 1.5–1.9(–2) mm, apex acute to acuminate, midrib excurrent as awn to 0.5 mm.
pale redbrown, narrowly lanceoloid, (9–)11–14 mm, apex acuminate;
fertile scales lanceolate, 9–13 mm, apex acuminate, midrib shortexcurrent or not.
bristles 6, some reaching to apex of fruit body.
perianth bristles 5–6, extending at least 5 mm beyond tubercle base, antrorsely barbellate.
2–3 per spikelet, 1–1.2(–1.4) mm;
body dull dark brown with paler brown center, lenticular, broadly obovoid to broadly ellipsoid, 1 × 0.8 mm, margins narrow, flowing to tubercle;
tubercle nearly equilaterally triangular, 0.2–0.3 mm.
1–2 per spikelet, 15–20 mm;
body stipitate, obovoid to oblong, compressed, 4–5 × 2–3 mm, margins thick;
surfaces concave, horizontally finely striate, minutely cancellate;
tubercle stoutbased, grooved, subulate, 10–15 mm, setulose.
Rhynchospora fernaldii
Rhynchospora inundata
Rhynchospora inundata is largely confined to lower Coastal Plain terraces, mostly along the present coast. Typical plants have narrow fruit bodies and narrow inflorescences of sparse clusters, well overtopped by leaves and erect leafy bracts. By contrast, plants of R. careyana have broader fruits, shorter perianths, and larger, broader inflorescences that overtop most or all leaves and bracts. In general, plants of R. careyana are more robust and grow in more acid sites than those of R. inundata. Southward in the Atlantic Coastal and Gulf Coastal plains are broad areas of ecotone where the two species intergrade.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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