Rhynchospora punctata
Rhynchospora perplexa
dotted beaksedge
pineland beaksedge
erect or ascending, leafy, trigonous, slender.
lax, often excurved, slender, ± terete or trigonous.
all exceeded by culm;
basal blades spreading, often curled, distal longer, all proximally flat, 3–5 mm wide, apex trigonous, subulately tapering.
ascending, exceeded by culm;
blades linear, proximally flat, 1.5–2.5 mm wide, apex trigonous, subulate, tapering.
clusters 3–5, proximalmost distant, longest pedunculate, fascicles broadly turbinate to hemispheric; leafy bracts of distal groups mostly exceeded by inflorescence.
clusters 3–4, widely spaced, narrowly, compactly, or diffusely turbinate; leafy bracts exceeding proximal clusters.
lanceovoid, (3.5–)4–5 mm;
fertile scales broadly ovate to ± orbiculate, cupulate, rounded, 3 mm, apex apiculate to cuspidate, midrib excurrent.
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, overtopping tubercle (or at least its base), antrorsely barbellate.
perianth bristles 0–3, vestigial when present.
1–3 per spikelet, 2.3–3 mm;
body brown, strongly compressed proximally, biconvex distally, broadly obovoid, 1.8–2.2 × 1.5 mm;
surfaces strongly transversely rugose, intervals with rows of narrow, vertical alveolae;
tubercle triangular, flat, 1 mm, base lunate, capping fruit apex, apiculate.
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 punctata
Rhynchospora perplexa
Of conservation concern.
Rhynchospora punctata is similar to R. harveyi and R. compressa in its preference for more upland sites. Like R. compressa, R. punctata often has many imperfectly formed fruits, suggestive of hybrid origin.
(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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