Rhynchospora tracyi

Britton

Trans. New York Acad. Sci. 11: 84. 1892.

Illustrated
Basionym: Ceratoschoenus capitatus Chapman Fl. South. U.S., 529. 1860
Synonyms: Phaeocephalum tracyi (Britton) House Schoenus triceps Vahl
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 23. Treatment on page 207. Mentioned on page 200, 201, 208, 209.
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Plants perennial, clonal, to 120 cm; rhizomes scaly, slender, less than 2 mm thick. Culms erect, leafybased, wandlike, nearly terete, multiribbed. Leaves ascending or erect, longest nearly equaling culm; principal blades linear, involutecylindric, to 3 mm wide, apex tapering, subulate. Inflorescences terminal, heads 1–4, dense, macelike, 1–1.5 mm thick; involucral bracts leafy, proximalmost overtopping inflorescence. Spikelets greenish, lanceovoid, 5–6 mm, apex acuminate; fertile scales boat-shaped, 5 mm, apex acute to shortacuminate, midrib slightly excurrent or not. Flowers: perianth bristles 6, exceeding fruit body, antrorsely barbellate. Fruits 1 per spikelet, 6–8(–8.7) mm; body pale greenbrown, laterally compressed, obcordiform, 2.5–3(–4) mm, margins thick, rounded, not crimped, apex barely exserted, setulose, surfaces nearly plane, minutely cancellate (latticed); tubercle (style base) linear, angled, 4–6 mm, much narrower than fruit summit, setulose.


Phenology: Fruiting late spring–fall.
Habitat: Emergent in shallows of cypress domes, marshes and swales, ditches and ponds
Elevation: 0–100 m

Distribution

V23 355-distribution-map.jpg

Ala., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tex., West Indies, Central America (Belize).

Discussion

Rhynchospora tracyi frequently forms clones extending for acres by means of its long slender rhizomes. Its wandlike, terete, supple culms, and round-capitate clusters of spikelets suggest a rush more than a sedge.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Rhynchospora tracyi"
Robert Kral +
Britton +
Ceratoschoenus capitatus +
Ala. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, La. +, Miss. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Tex. +, West Indies +  and Central America (Belize). +
0–100 m +
Emergent in shallows of cypress domes, marshes and swales, ditches and ponds +
Fruiting late spring–fall. +
Trans. New York Acad. Sci. +
Illustrated +
Phaeocephalum tracyi +  and Schoenus triceps +
Rhynchospora tracyi +
Rhynchospora +
species +