Rhynchospora perplexa
Rhynchospora mixta
pineland beaksedge
mingled beaksedge
lax, often excurved, slender, ± terete or trigonous.
ascending, exceeded by culm;
blades linear, proximally flat, 1.5–2.5 mm wide, apex trigonous, subulate, tapering.
exceeded by culm;
blades lax, linear, proximally flat, 3–5 mm wide, apex abruptly narrowed, trigonous, subulate.
clusters 3–4, widely spaced, narrowly, compactly, or diffusely turbinate; leafy bracts exceeding proximal clusters.
spikelet clusters 4–6, mostly widely spaced;
peduncles erect or ascending, slender;
branches capillary, divaricate, or widely spreading, to small clusters of 1–few spikelets; leafy bracts mostly exceeding clusters.
deep redbrown, ovoid to broadly ellipsoid, 2–3 mm, apex acute to acuminate;
fertile scales broadly elliptic to obovate or orbiculate, 1.4–2(–2.5) mm, apex rounded to notched, midrib shortexcurrent.
lanceovoid, 3–4(–6) mm, apex acute to acuminate;
fertile scales elliptic, 2.5 mm, apex acute, midrib forming mucro or awn.
perianth bristles 0–3, vestigial when present.
perianth bristles 6, overtopping tubercle, antrorsely barbellate.
2–4 per spikelet, 1.5 mm;
body pale brown to brown, strongly flattened, orbicular to broadly obovoid, 1–1.3 × 0.9–1.2 mm, surfaces sharply transversely wavyrugose, intervals finely vertically striate with rows of linearrectangular alveolae;
tubercle depressed, triangular, flattened, 0.2–0.3 mm, base lunate.
mostly 2–4(–several) per spikelet, (1.5–)1.8–2(–2.1);
body greenish or pale brown, broadly ellipsoid to narrowly obovoid, lenticular, 1.2–1.5 × 1–1.2 mm;
surfaces transversely finely wavy-rugulose, intervals vertically striatealveolate, or alveolae isodiametric;
tubercle flat, triangular-subulate, 0.5–0.6(–0.8) mm.
Rhynchospora perplexa
Rhynchospora mixta
In habit and in shape, size, and color of spikelet, Rhynchospora perplexa strongly resembles R. microcarpa, a species with which it is commonly associated in the Coastal Plain. An examination of the fruit shows those of R. perplexa to be flattened, with fewer and much coarser transverse ridges, the intervals with very narrow vertical alveolae. The perianth in most instances is absent or rudimentary. Fruit of R. microcarpa is biconvex with more transverse ridges (eight or more), the intervals more coarsely alveolate; its perianth bristles are six, evident, extending at least halfway up the fruit body.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Some extremes of Rhynchospora caduca with more diffuse inflorescences are mistaken for R. mixta, particularly those in which ultimate inflorescence branches lead to solitary spikelets. In those rare instances one should find a somewhat larger spikelet and a broader fruit than is typical for R. mixta.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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