Infrequent in moist sand, savannahs and bogs in pinelands, in s.e. Tex. 

 (Arkansas, Tyler, Chambers and Jefferson cos.), summer; low coastal areas, Va. 

 to Tex.; Berm., Gr. Ant. 



14. Rhynchospora gracilenta Gray. Fig. 248. 



Tufted perennial; culms 5-9 dm. long, erect, 1-1.5 mm. thick basally, essen- 

 tially terete; leaves mostly confined to the base of the plant, the blades proximally 

 only 1-2.5 mm. broad, distally involute; inflorescence a terminal fascicle about 

 1 cm. broad and usually a remote slightly smaller axillary one a few cm. below; 

 spikelets broadly lanceolate, 3-4 mm. long, cinnamon-brown, with 2 or 3 flowers, 

 when 3 flowers present usually only the middle one or the upper 2 bearing fruit; 

 bristles about 6, about equaling the body or tubercle, minutely antrorsely serru- 

 late or barbed; achenial body broadly obovate or nearly orbicular, turgidly 

 biconvex, 1.3-1.8 mm. long, smooth, dark-brown (or a central spot on each of 

 the 2 faces slightly paler); tubercle much-compressed, whitish, 1-2 mm. long 

 including the straplike prolongation. 



Infrequent in boggy ground and pitcher plant bogs, e. and s.e. Tex., summer 

 (-fall?); s.e. U.S. mainly near the coast, N.J. to Tex., less frequent inland to 

 Tenn. and Ark. 



15. RhjTichospora Grayi Kunch. Fig. 249. 



Tufted perennial; culms 4-7 dm. long, 1.5-2 mm. thick basally, erect; leaves 

 mostly crowded toward the base, curly, 2-4 mm. broad; inflorescence a dense 

 terminal fascicle about 1 cm. broad and long, of essentially sessile spikelets, plus 

 sometimes a reduced fascicle lower down; spikelets cinnamon-brown, 4-5.5 mm. 

 long, narrowly ovoid to broadly lanceolate, of 2 to 3 flowers, but usually maturing 

 only 1 fruit; bristles 6, minutely antrorsely serrulate; achenial body broadly 

 obovate, 2-2.4 mm. long, 1.8-2.2 mm. broad, 1.5-1.8 mm. thick from face to 

 face, turgid, at maturity dark-brown, each face with 25 to 30 or more horizontal 

 rows of minute nearly isodiametric cells whose horizontal walls are only slightly 

 more prominent than the verticle walls; tubercle conic, 0.4-0.6 mm. high, basally 

 not wider than (but often appearing embedded in) the top of the body. 



Rare in moist or wet sand, e. Tex. (Jasper and Liberty cos.), Mar.-May 

 (earlier-flowering than most beak-rushes); lowlands near the coast, Va. to Tex.; 

 Cuba. 



16. Rhynchospora Harveyi W. Boott. Fig. 250. 



Tufted perennial; culms 15-60 cm. long, 1-2 mm. thick near the base, erect, 

 obtusely triquetrous, leafy; leaves 1.5-3 mm. broad; inflorescence a dense terminal 

 fascicle about 5 mm. high and 5-10 mm. broad, of essentially sessile spikelets 

 plus usually 1 or 2 reduced similarly dense glomerules lower down; spikelets 

 cinnamon-brown, ovoid, 2.5-3 mm. long, usually with 2 flowers and setting 1 

 fruit; bristles 6, minutely antrorsely serrulate achenial body broadly obovate, 

 1.5-1.8 mm. long, 1.3-1.6 mm. broad, 1-1.5 mm. thick from face to face, turgid, 

 at maturity rick-dark-brown, each face with (14 to) 16 to 20 horizontal rows of 

 minute nearly isodiametric cells with prominent walls; tubercle conic, 0.4-0.5, mm. 

 long, basally no wider than (but often appearing embedded in) the top of the 

 body. R. Plankii Small. 



Frequent to abundant in low places in open woods and prairies, wet soils on 

 edge of streams, e., s.e. and n.-cen. Tex., and Okla. (Pushmataha Co.), Apr.- 

 Sept.; s.e. U.S. n. to Va., Tenn. and Mo., w. to Okla. and Tex. 



17. Rhynchospora rariflora (Michx.) Ell. Fig. 251. 



Tufted perennial; culms 3-6 dm. long, 0.6-0.9 mm. thick near the base, 

 ascending but often flexuous, essentially trete; leaves in lower half of plant, 



481 



