Rhynchospora plumosa
Rhynchospora perplexa
plumed beaksedge
pineland beaksedge
erect or excurved, filiform to linear.
lax, often excurved, slender, ± terete or trigonous.
erect or excurved, shorter than scape;
blades filiform to linear, to 1.5 mm wide, margins involute, apex trigonous, tapering.
ascending, exceeded by culm;
blades linear, proximally flat, 1.5–2.5 mm wide, apex trigonous, subulate, tapering.
spikelet clusters 1–several, dense or sparse, when several, either widely spaced or close together, if widely spaced then ovoid to hemispheric, if close together then lobed ellipse or cylinder; leafy bracts filiform, setaceous, overtopping each cluster.
clusters 3–4, widely spaced, narrowly, compactly, or diffusely turbinate; leafy bracts exceeding proximal clusters.
light redbrown to deep brown, broadly fusiform to ovoid, (2.5–)3.5–4 mm, apex acute to acuminate;
fertile scale broadly ovate, strongly convex, (1.5–)2–3 mm, apex acuminate to mucronate, midrib excurrent or not.
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.
perianth bristles 6, plumose, reaching at least to fruit midbody, often to tubercle tip.
perianth bristles 0–3, vestigial when present.
1(–2) per spikelet, (1.5–)2–2.5 mm;
body redbrown or brown, tumidly obovoid or ellipsoid, sometimes obscurely lenticular, (1.2–)1.3–1.8(–2) × 1–1.5 mm;
surfaces interruptedly crossrugulose;
tubercle narrowly to broadly conic, mostly 0.3–0.5 mm, base flaring, round or indistinctly 2lobed.
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.
Rhynchospora plumosa
Rhynchospora perplexa
Particularly in Gulf Coastal Plain savannas, Rhynchospora plumosa appears to have two distinct morphs: one very densely cespitose with filiform leaves, filiform, arching culms, and spikelets in short, broad, dark brown clusters, and the other morph taller, stiffer, with broader leaves and culms, and longer, sharper, paler spikelets in narrow compounds of clusters. After many attempts to do what others have—namely to create two distinct species—I have had to retrench, because so many intergrades occur.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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.)
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