''Rhynchospora'' (beak-rush or beak-sedge) is a genus of about 400 species of
sedges
The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus ''Carex'' wit ...
with a
cosmopolitan distribution
In biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is the term for the range of a taxon that extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Such a taxon, usually a species, is said to exhibit cosmopolitanism or cosmopolitism. The ext ...
. The genus includes both annual and perennial species, mostly with erect 3-sided stems and 3-ranked leaves. The achenes bear a beak-like tubercule (hence the name “beak-rush”, although the plants are
sedges
The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus ''Carex'' wit ...
, not
rushes) and are sometimes subtended by bristles. Many of the species are similar in vegetative appearance, and mature fruits are needed to make a positive identification.
The inflorescences (spikelets) are sometimes subtended by bracts which can be leaf-like or showy.
Flora of North America, Vol. 23 Page 200, ''Rhynchospora'' Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 229. 1805 (as ''Rynchospora'')
/ref>
Ecology
''Rhynchospora'' occurs on all continents except Antarctica, but is most diverse in the neotropics.[Thomas, W.W. 1992. A synopsis of ''Rhynchospora'' (Cyperaceae) in Mesoamerica. ''Brittonia'' 44:14–44.] It is most frequent in sunny habitats with wet, acidic soils.[Kral, R. 2002. ''Rhynchospora''. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico. 15+ vols. New York and Oxford. Vol. 23 pp. 200-239.] In marshes and savannas, ''Rhynchospora'' may be the dominant form of vegetation.
Taxonomy
Contemporary taxonomic treatments include ''Rhynchospora'' and the related genus ''Pleurostachys'' in the tribe Rhynchosporae, a well-supported clade within Cyperaceae.[Muasya, A. M., J. Bruhl, D. A. Simpson, A. Culham and M. W. Chase. 2000. Suprageneric phylogeny of Cyperaceae: A combined analysis. pp. 593–601. In: K. Wilson and D. Morrison (eds.) Monocots: Systematics and Evolution. CSIRO: Melbourne.] The most comprehensive monograph of the genus [Kükenthal, G. 1949-1951. Vorarbeiten zu einer Monographie der Rhynchosporoideae. ''Rhynchospora''. Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 74, 75] divides ''Rhynchospora'' into two subgenera and 29 sections. A recent molecular analysis [Thomas W.W., A.C. Araujo, and M.V. Alves. 2009. A Preliminary Molecular Phylogeny of the Rhynchosporae (Cyperaceae). Botanical Review 75:22-29.] identifies two primary clades within the genus, with well-supported subgroups that agree with several of the sections identified by Kükenthal. However, this molecular analysis also suggests that ''Pleurostachys'' is embedded within one of the primary clades of ''Rhynchospora'' and that several of the recognized sections are not monophyletic
In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic gro ...
.Rhynchospora alba
''Rhynchospora alba'', the white beak-sedge, is a plant in the sedge family, Cyperaceae. It is a tufted herbaceous perennial around 50 cm tall, with white inflorescences that flower in August. The fruit of the sedge is a small achene with a ...
'' - White beak-sedge. Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
*''Rhynchospora caduca
''Rhynchospora caduca'', commonly called anglestem beaksedge, is a species of flowering plant in the sedge family (Cyperaceae
The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The fa ...
'' - Southeast North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
*''Rhynchospora californica
''Rhynchospora californica'' is a species of sedge known by the common names California beaked-rush and California beaksedge. It is endemic to California where it is mainly distributed in the northwestern corner of the state south to the San Fran ...
'' - California beaked-rush, occurring in Marin
Marin (French) or Marín (Spanish "sailor") may refer to:
People
* Marin (name), including a list of persons with the given name or surname
* MaRin, in-game name of professional South Korean ''League of Legends'' player Jang Gyeong-hwan (born 19 ...
and Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County () is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, its population was 488,863. Its county seat and largest city is Santa Rosa, California, Santa Rosa. It is to the n ...
*'' Rhynchospora capillacea'' - Slender beakrush. Eastern North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
*'' Rhynchospora capitellata'' - Brownish beak-sedge
*''Rhynchospora colorata
''Rhynchospora colorata'', also known as starrush whitetop, white star sedge and white-topped sedge, is a perennial sedge with white bracts, giving it the appearance of white petals with long, green points. It is native to southeastern North Am ...
'' - White star sedge. Southeast North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
.
*''Rhynchospora fusca
''Rhynchospora fusca'' (vernacular name: brown beak-sedge) is a species of sedge belonging to the family Cyperaceae
The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is la ...
'' - Brown beak-sedge. Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
.
*''Rhynchospora glomerata
''Rhynchospora'' (beak-rush or beak-sedge) is a genus of about 400 species of sedges with a cosmopolitan distribution. The genus includes both annual and perennial species, mostly with erect 3-sided stems and 3-ranked leaves. The achenes bear a ...
'' - Clustered beak-sedge. North America.[''Rhynchospora glomerata'' (L.) Vahl](_blank)
USDA Plants Profile. 23 Nov 2011
*''Rhynchospora inexpansa
''Rhynchospora inexpansa'', commonly called nodding beaksedge, is a species of flowering plant in the sedge family ( Cyperaceae). It is native to North America, where it is found in the southeastern United States and West Indies. Its typical natu ...
'' - Southeastern North America and West Indies
*''Rhynchospora knieskernii
''Rhynchospora knieskernii'' is a rare species of sedge known by the common name Knieskern's beaksedge. It is endemic to the state of New Jersey in the United States, where it occurs naturallyin the Pine Barrens. Reports have cited it present in ...
'' - Knieskern's beak-sedge.
*''Rhynchospora longisetis
''Rhynchospora longisetis'' is a species of plant in the family Cyperaceae first described by Robert Brown. No subspecies listed in the Catalogue of Life
The Catalogue of Life is an online database that provides an index of known species of a ...
''
*''Rhynchospora macrostachya
''Rhynchospora macrostachya'', the tall horned beaksedge or tall beaksedge, is a plant in the sedge family, Cyperaceae. It is a perennial.
Conservation status in the United States
It is listed as threatened in ConnecticutRhynchospora megalocarpa
''Rhynchospora megalocarpa'', commonly called sandyfield beaksedge, is a species of flowering plant in the sedge family (Cyperaceae). It is native to North America, where it is found in the southeastern United States.
Distribution
''Rhynchosp ...
'' - Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...
*''Rhynchospora megaplumosa
''Rhynchospora megaplumosa'', the Manatee beaksedge, is a plant species endemic to a small region in central Florida. It is known from only 4 Counties: Polk, Hillsboro, Manatee and Sarasota. It generally grows on sandy soil in pine woodlands.
...
'' - Florida
*''Rhynchospora nervosa
''Rhynchospora'' (beak-rush or beak-sedge) is a genus of about 400 species of sedges with a cosmopolitan distribution. The genus includes both annual and perennial species, mostly with erect 3-sided stems and 3-ranked leaves. The achenes bear a ...
'' - Tropical New World
The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...
.
*''Rhynchospora rariflora
''Rhynchospora rariflora'', commonly called fewflower beaksedge, is a species of flowering plant in the sedge family (Cyperaceae
The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The ...
'' - Southeastern North America, West Indies, Central America
*''Rhynchospora scirpoides
''Rhynchospora scirpoides'', also referred to as ''Psilocarya scirpoides''; common names long-beaked beaksedge and long-beaked bald rush; is a plant in the '' Rhynchospora'' genus found in North America.
Conservation status
It is listed as endan ...
'' - North America
*''Rhynchospora waspamensis
''Rhynchospora'' (beak-rush or beak-sedge) is a genus of about 400 species of sedges with a cosmopolitan distribution. The genus includes both annual and perennial species, mostly with erect 3-sided stems and 3-ranked leaves. The achenes bear a ...
'' - New World
The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...
.
References
External links
interactive identification key
Other sources
* Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2005). Monocotyledons and Gymnosperms of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 52: 1-415.
* Gale, S. 1944. ''Rhynchospora'' sect. ''Eurhynchospora'' in Canada, the United States and the West Indies. Rhodora 46: 80–134, 159–197, 255–278.
* Kral, R. 1996. Supplemental notes on ''Rhynchospora crinipes'' and related species in sect. ''Fuscae'' (Cyperaceae). Sida 17: 385–411.
* Strong, M.T. (2006). Taxonomy and distribution of ''Rhynchospora'' (Cyperaceae) in the Guianas, South America. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 53: 1-225.
* Thomas, W. W. 1994. 1. ''Rhynchospora'' Vahl. 6: 404–422. In G. Davidse, M. Sousa Sánchez & A.O. Chater (eds.) Flora Mesoamericana. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D. F.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q164202
Cyperaceae genera
Taxa named by Martin Vahl