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coastal plain beaksedge

fragrant beaksedge

Habit Plants perennial, densely cespitose, 30–60(–90) cm; rhizomes forking, compact. Plants perennial, cespitose, 100–180 cm; rhizomes often present, short, scaly.
Culms

lax, leafy toward base, filiform, ± terete.

erect to ascending, leafy, slender, angular.

Leaves

ascending, exceeded by culm;

blades filiform, to 0.5 mm, margins mostly involute, apex trigonous, tapering.

exceeded by culm;

blades linear, proximally flat, 3–6 mm wide, apex tapering, trigonous, subulate.

Inflorescences

mostly lax cymes or clusters of cymes, 1–2, sparse, turbinate, branches capillary; leafy bracts setaceous, exceeding proximal cymes, shorter than, equaling or slightly exceeding distal cymes.

of terminal and axillary clusters, 3–5, proximalmost widely spaced, turbinate or lobed, fascicles dense, branches ascending; leafy bracts exceeding all but proximalmost clusters.

Spikelets

redbrown, fusiformlanceoloid, 5 mm, apex acute;

fertile scales lanceolate, 3.5–4.5 mm, apex acute or acuminate, midrib included or shortexcurrent.

rich redbrown, ovoid, (4–)5–6(–7) mm, apex acuminate;

fertile scales ovate, (3.5–)4–5 mm, apex acuminate, midrib short or longexcurrent.

Flowers

perianth bristles 6, exceeding tubercle base, antrorsely barbellate, basally setose.

perianth bristles 6, reaching past tubercle, antrorsely barbellate.

Fruits

1 per spikelet, 2.8–3 mm;

body pale brown, obovoidpyriform, tumidly lenticular, 1.5–1 × 1 mm;

surfaces transversely wavyrugose, intervals vertically striate with narrow, raised alveolae;

tubercle flat, narrowly triangular-subulate, (0.8–)1–1.5 mm.

mostly 3–4(–7) per spikelet, 3 mm with pedicellar joint and tubercle;

body pale yellowbrown, obovoidlenticular, 1.4–1.7 × 1.4 × 1.5;

surfaces transversely finely wavyrugulose, intervals vertically rectangularalveolate;

pedicellar joint 0.3–0.6 mm;

tubercle compressed, triangularacuminate, 0.5–0.6 (–1) mm, margin setulose.

Rhynchospora stenophylla

Rhynchospora odorata

Phenology Fruiting spring–summer. Fruiting summer–fall or all year (south).
Habitat Sands and peats of bogs, seeps, pond shores, flatwoods, and savannas Sands and peats of swamps, marshes, interdunal swales, low meadows, savannas
Elevation 0–200 m (0–700 ft) 0–200 m (0–700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; SC; TX
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; NC; SC; West Indies (Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Rhynchospora stenophylla may occasionally be confused with the closely related R. rariflora but can be distinguished by its taller and wispier habit, its longer spikelets of narrower outline, and the distinctly longer fruit tubercle. Both species are usually found on wet substrates; R. stenophylla typically is found in the deepest bogs and sphagnous seeps.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 23, p. 221. FNA vol. 23, p. 223.
Parent taxa Cyperaceae > Rhynchospora Cyperaceae > Rhynchospora
Sibling taxa
R. alba, R. baldwinii, R. brachychaeta, R. breviseta, R. caduca, R. californica, R. capillacea, R. capitellata, R. careyana, R. cephalantha, R. chalarocephala, R. chapmanii, R. ciliaris, R. colorata, R. compressa, R. corniculata, R. crinipes, R. curtissii, R. debilis, R. decurrens, R. divergens, R. elliottii, R. eximia, R. fascicularis, R. fernaldii, R. filifolia, R. floridensis, R. fusca, R. globularis, R. glomerata, R. gracilenta, R. grayi, R. harperi, R. harveyi, R. indianolensis, R. inexpansa, R. inundata, R. knieskernii, R. kunthii, R. latifolia, R. macra, R. macrostachya, R. megalocarpa, R. megaplumosa, R. microcarpa, R. microcephala, R. miliacea, R. mixta, R. nitens, R. nivea, R. odorata, R. oligantha, R. pallida, R. perplexa, R. pineticola, R. pleiantha, R. plumosa, R. punctata, R. pusilla, R. rariflora, R. recognita, R. scirpoides, R. solitaria, R. thornei, R. torreyana, R. tracyi, R. wrightiana
R. alba, R. baldwinii, R. brachychaeta, R. breviseta, R. caduca, R. californica, R. capillacea, R. capitellata, R. careyana, R. cephalantha, R. chalarocephala, R. chapmanii, R. ciliaris, R. colorata, R. compressa, R. corniculata, R. crinipes, R. curtissii, R. debilis, R. decurrens, R. divergens, R. elliottii, R. eximia, R. fascicularis, R. fernaldii, R. filifolia, R. floridensis, R. fusca, R. globularis, R. glomerata, R. gracilenta, R. grayi, R. harperi, R. harveyi, R. indianolensis, R. inexpansa, R. inundata, R. knieskernii, R. kunthii, R. latifolia, R. macra, R. macrostachya, R. megalocarpa, R. megaplumosa, R. microcarpa, R. microcephala, R. miliacea, R. mixta, R. nitens, R. nivea, R. oligantha, R. pallida, R. perplexa, R. pineticola, R. pleiantha, R. plumosa, R. punctata, R. pusilla, R. rariflora, R. recognita, R. scirpoides, R. solitaria, R. stenophylla, R. thornei, R. torreyana, R. tracyi, R. wrightiana
Synonyms Phaeocephalum stipitatum, R. stipitata
Name authority Chapman: Fl. South. U.S., 525. (1860) C. Wright ex Grisebach: Cat. Pl. Cub., 242. (1866)
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