Rhynchospora harperi
Rhynchospora glomerata
Harper's beaksedge
cluster beaksedge
erect to excurved, leafybased, narrowly linear, ± terete.
excurvednodding, leafy, triangular, slender;
principal leaves overtopped by culm;
blades flat, 2.5–5 mm wide, apex attenuate, trigonous.
shorter than culm;
blades ascending, narrowly linear, proximally flat or margins slightly involute, 0.5–1(–2) mm wide, distally canaliculate, apex trigonous, tapering, subulate.
spikelet clusters 1–3, laterals 0–2, all turbinate to hemispheric, terminal internode usually excurved; leafy bracts setaceous, overtopping inflorescence.
terminal and axillary, spikelet clusters mostly 2–6, compact, turbinate to hemispheric, 1.5–2 cm wide;
peduncles progressively shorter distally on culm;
bracteal leaves mostly exceeding subtended groups.
redbrown, lanceoloid, 5–7 mm, apex acute;
fertile scales lanceolate, (2.5–)4–5 mm, apex acute to acuminate;
midrib paralleled by several indistinct ribs, excurrent as short awns.
crowded, deep redbrown, lanceellipsoid, 4.5–6.5 mm;
fertile scales ovatelanceolate, 3.5–4(–4.5) mm, apex acute, midrib mostly shortexcurrent.
bristles 6, reaching from mid tubercle to beyond tip.
perianth bristles 6, overtopping tubercle, antrorsely barbellate.
3(–4) per spikelet, 2.1–2.5 mm;
stipe and receptacle 0.2–0.3 mm, sparsely setose and setulose;
body glossy, brown with pale center, obovoid-lenticular, 1.1–1.5 × 1–1.1 mm, surfaces finely longitudinally lined, variably low papillatecancellate, also often transversely with wavy lines of dark dots;
tubercle flattened, triangular-subulate, (0.8–)0.9–1(–1.1) mm, setulose-ciliate.
(1–)2(–3) per spikelet, 3–4 mm;
body dark redbrown with pale center, stipitate, lenticular, obovoid, or orbicular, 1.5–2 × 1.2–1.4 mm, base narrowed, margins pale, wirelike;
surfaces slick;
tubercle triangular-subulate, 1.3–1.5(–1.8) mm.
Rhynchospora harperi
Rhynchospora glomerata
Rhynchospora harperi is most abundant in a very special habitat referred to here as the “Hypericum pond.” These are typically shallow ponds in pine savannas, frequently ringed by stands of Nyssa, Taxodium, Ilex, and Cyrilla, but most of the pond itself is dominated by one or more myriandrous shrubby Hypericum species. Here R. harperi is distinguished from other species by the often abrupt bend of its ultimate internode.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Rhynchospora glomerata is often associated with R. capitellata and is distinguishable by its taller, slightly stouter habit; longer, slightly paler spikelets; and longer and broader fruit body. It is a common lowland weed in the southern Piedmont, Atlantic coastal plain, and Gulf coastal plain, where it is often more associated with R. inexpansa.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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