Rhynchospora perplexa
Rhynchospora solitaria
pineland beaksedge
onespike beaksedge
lax, often excurved, slender, ± terete or trigonous.
erect to ascending, narrowly linear, wandlike, terete, leafy proximal to middle.
ascending, exceeded by culm;
blades linear, proximally flat, 1.5–2.5 mm wide, apex trigonous, subulate, tapering.
erect to ascending;
blades proximally flat, 2.5–3.5 mm wide, apex tapering, tip abruptly blunt.
clusters 3–4, widely spaced, narrowly, compactly, or diffusely turbinate; leafy bracts exceeding proximal clusters.
terminal, cluster of spikelets crowded, broadly turbinate to hemispheric, to 1.5 cm wide; leafy bracts linearsetaceous, slightly exceeding cluster.
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.
orangebrown, lancefusiform, 6–7 mm, apex acuminate;
fertile scales lanceovate, 4–5 mm, apex acuminate with excurved awn to 1 mm.
perianth bristles 0–3, vestigial when present.
bristles 3–4, some reaching tubercle tip, 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.
1–2 per spikelet, 2–2.1 mm;
body brown with paler center, obovoidlenticular, 1.5–1.7 × 1.2–1.3 mm, margins flowing to tubercle;
surfaces finely transversely striate with minute pits;
tubercle lowtriangular, 0.3–0.5 mm.
Rhynchospora perplexa
Rhynchospora solitaria
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.)
Of conservation concern.
Rhynchospora solitaria appears to be the least common North American species of Rhynchospora with two of the five given localities apparently lost. The name “solitaria” is deceptive; the plants sometimes form small tufts of culms. The most distinctive feature in the field is the attractive orangebrown color of the narrow, acuminate, bristlescaled spikelets.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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