Rhynchospora solitaria
Rhynchospora decurrens
onespike beaksedge
swampforest beaksedge
erect to ascending, narrowly linear, wandlike, terete, leafy proximal to middle.
lax, erect to ascending-excurved, ± terete, leafy, slender, soft.
erect to ascending;
blades proximally flat, 2.5–3.5 mm wide, apex tapering, tip abruptly blunt.
exceeded by inflorescence;
blades erect or ascending, linear, proximally flat, 2–4 mm wide, apex trigonous, subulate, tapering.
terminal, cluster of spikelets crowded, broadly turbinate to hemispheric, to 1.5 cm wide; leafy bracts linearsetaceous, slightly exceeding cluster.
spikelet clusters 4–6, widely spaced, loose, broadly to narrowly turbinate, paniculate, branches capillary, ultimate branches with 1 or 2 spikelets; leafy bracts exceeding proximal clusters, setaceous.
orangebrown, lancefusiform, 6–7 mm, apex acuminate;
fertile scales lanceovate, 4–5 mm, apex acuminate with excurved awn to 1 mm.
solitary or in 2s, brown, ovoid, 2.5–3.5 mm;
fertile scales ovate, 1.5–2.2 mm, apex acute, apiculate.
bristles 3–4, some reaching tubercle tip, antrorsely barbellate.
perianth bristles 6, reaching tubercle base or slightly beyond, antrorsely barbellate.
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.
2–3 per spikelet, 1.5–1.6(–1.8) mm;
body brown or greenish, obovoid, lenticular, 1.1–1.2(–1.3) × 0.7–1 mm, margins narrow, distinct, sharp, flowing to tubercle;
surfaces finely transversely wavyrugulose, intervals of fine, nearly isodiametric or vertical-rectangular pitlike alveolae;
tubercle lowtriangular, entire, 0.3–0.4 mm.
Rhynchospora solitaria
Rhynchospora decurrens
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.)
Rhynchospora decurrens superficially resembles R. mixta, with which it is often associated in swamp forests. Its narrower fruit bodies with less distinct transverse rugosity; the smaller, more numerous rows of finer, pitlike alveolae; and its broader, lower tubercles with non-setose edges all comprise consistent differences. The name decurrens is apt, calling attention to the narrow, wirelike pale margins that extend from tubercle base to near the base of the fruit body.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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