PlantNET Home DONATE TODAY | PlantNET Home | Search NSW Flora | Contact Us  
FloraOnline
Introduction
Plant Name Search
Index Search
Spatial Search
Identification Keys
Classification
Glossary
WeedAlert
Telopea Journal
Other Data Sources
NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE Printable Page

Genus Rhynchospora Family Cyperaceae

Description: Often rhizomatous, tufted perennials, more rarely annuals. Culms noded or nodeless.

Leaves basal or also cauline; ligule absent; sheaths of cauline leaves sometimes with short scarious appendage at mouth opposite blade.

Inflorescence head-like, spike-like, or panicle-like; involucral bracts leaf-like. Spikelets solitary or in clusters, terete or flattish, sessile or pedicellate, usually few-flowered. Rachilla straight. Glumes 5–8, spirally arranged or distichous, the lowest 3 or 4 empty, shorter than the upper fertile ones. Flowers bisexual, or the lowest flowers female, upper one(s) male or sterile. Hypogynous bristles 3–6 (rarely more), usually antrorsely scabrous, rarely absent. Stamens (1,) 2 or 3. Style articulated with ovary, almost undivided to deeply 2-fid; dilated style base (or even most of style) persistent on nut, clearly distinct from latter, compressed-conical, subulate, or crescent-shaped.

Nut sessile or shortly stipitate, biconvex.


Distribution and occurrence: World: >200 species, tropical & subtropical, especially the Americas. Australia: c. 17 species (c. 5 species endemic), Qld, N.S.W., Vic., N.T., W.A.

Text by K. L. Wilson
Taxon concept:

 Key to the species 
1Inflorescence a single dense globose or semiglobose head, to c. 1.5 cm diam.; nut minutely reticulate, hispid near apexRhynchospora rubra
Inflorescence with several–many branches, 2–6-noded, to 40 cm long; nut irregularly transversely wrinkled, glabrous2
2Style shortly 2-fid; glumes 5–6.5 mm long; nut 2.5–3.5 mm longRhynchospora corymbosa
Style deeply 2-fid; glumes 3–4 mm long; nut 1.5–2 m long
                       Back to 1
Rhynchospora brownii

  Privacy | Copyright | Disclaimer | About PlantNET | Cite PlantNET