Plants perennial, clonal, 50–100 cm; rhizomes slender, scaly, to 2 mm thick. Culms stiffly erect, leafy, triangular, multiribbed. Leaves erect, distal ones overtopping inflorescence; principal blades flat proximally, trigonous distally, 3–10 mm wide, apex attenuate. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, clusters of corymbs (1–)2–3, open, spikelet clusters loose; bracteal leaves mostly overtopping corymbs. Spikelets pale red brown, narrowly lanceoloid, (9–)11–14 mm, apex acuminate; fertile scales lanceolate, 9–13 mm, apex acuminate, midrib short excurrent or not. Flowers: perianth bristles 5–6, extending at least 5 mm beyond tubercle base, antrorsely barbellate. Fruits 1–2 per spikelet, 15–20 mm; body stipitate, obovoid to oblong, compressed, 4–5 × 2–3 mm, margins thick; surfaces concave, horizontally finely striate, minutely cancellate; tubercle stout based, grooved, subulate, 10–15 mm, setulose.
More
Much like no. 4 [Rhynchospora macrostachya A. Gray], often smaller and more slender, and producing long, coarse, stoloniform rhizomes; main lvs mostly 4–7 mm wide; infl diffusely branched; spikelets usually divergent or even reflexed, solitary or in glomerules of 2–6; bristles 8–12 mm; achenes 3.5–4.5 mm, the beak 14–19 mm. Swamps and pond-margins; e. Mass. to Del.
Home