The 2/2/2002 revision matched the Checklist of the Vascular Flora of Arkansas, in internal document of the Arkansas Flora Committee, Sept. 2000 version.
This page provides a list of all Arkansas Rhynchospora sedges. I am adding brief hints for the field identification of each taxon. Taxonomic problems have yet to be settled on this genus in Arkansas. This list follows the Arkansas Flora Committee list for now (rather than the web page owner's ideas, which are undeveloped on this group). One good source of info on the SE USA Rhynchospora is Godfrey & Wooten's wetland plant book. Kartesz & Meachum (1999) report an additional thirty or so taxa from adjoining states to the south, so additional taxa should be sought in south Arkansas. Kartesz & Meachum recognize R. colorata (which we treat as Dichromena colorata for now at least) and R. nivea (which we treat as Dichromena nivea for now). Keys to the Arkansas Rhynchospora follow the species discussion below.
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Rhynchospora caduca Ell. Angle-stem Beaksedge
Smith (1988) lists no synonyms for this species, but notes various reports of it which are not duplicated here. Diggs, et al. (1999) do not cover it for NE Texas, nor does Yatskeivych (1999) for Missouri. Darn. Weakley's draft flora of the Carolinas and Virginia (1999) does treat it, providing a habitat as "savannas, hardwood swamps, other wet areas; uncommon". I have yet to get a mental picture of this species. The Arkansas range includes Ashley, Bradley, Clark, Columbia, Miller, and Benton counties, based on Smith (1988). I have yet to record a specimen of it from the herbaria I've searched, including APCR (in part), LRU, SFRP, UNA, USCH. This southeastern species occurs from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Virginia south in the continental U. S. (Kartesz & Meachum 1999).
Rhynchospora capillacea Torr.
The species hangs out in north central Arkansas, based on Smith (1988) and my collection 2335.03 at UARK from Baxter County (also Marion, Sharp, and Stone cos, where I reported it as "infrequent" from limestone glades (probably including seepage areas). I have yet to record a specimen at various herbaria searched to date. Yatskievych (1999) provides good info on the species in his Missouri treatment, where he found it in the Missouri Ozarks in "fens and calcareous seeps of rocky ledges of bluffs and streambanks." Based on this info, I would expect it in Fulton and Izard counties as well, and possibly in other limestone areas of the state, including Benton and Carroll counties, or any limestone regions in the Ouachitas (agreed, they are rare or in Oklahoma there). He notes "the slender stems and leaves make it easily overlooked in the field." Look for downward pointing bristles, to start with, next to the achenes. The species apparently has a patchy distribution in the eastern United States and elsewhere (Kartesz & Meachum 1999).
Rhynchospora capitellata (Michx.) Vahl
The taxon is apparently valid, though some treat it as a synonym for R. glomerata. The two species seem very close to me as stated in Smith (1988). Smith (1994 and pers. commun.) actually did treat this as a synonym. And here the story gets more complex, so you might also want to compare the discussion of R. glomerata below. Yatskievych (1999) treats this taxon as listed here, and listed R. glomerata var. minor Britton as a synonym without further discussion. Neither should be confused with the similarly spelled R. globularis. Weakley (1999 draft) recognized the species under discussion here as occurring in "bogs, fens, seepages, and wet rock outcrops", while for Missouri Yatskievych uses "rocky or sandy banks of streams and spring branches, moist depressions of sandstone and igneous glades, and fens; less commonly in mesic swales of upland prairies, sinkhole ponds, and moist, open, disturbed areas". Smith (1988 as updated through 1993 by Smith) shows it in 20 scattered counties except in the eastern 1/5 of Arkansas. Kartesz & Meachum (1999) show the range covering a bit of the west coast and essentially all of the eastern United States.
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Rhynchospora cephalantha Gray
Smith (1988) notes "This species was reported for the state by Davis (1981), who indicated that a voucher collected by D. Demaree resided at VDB." The Davis report comes from a short notes in the Arkansas Academy of Sciences (vol. 35:84 in "Additional updates and records on the Arkansas Flora). Kartesz & Meachum (1999) show it also in coastal states from Texas to Virginia (and New York).
Rhynchospora colorata
Need to move this taxon to here.
Rhynchospora corniculata (Lam.) Gray Short-bristle Horned Beaksedge
This beaksedge is the large Rhynchospora commonly found on south Arkansas roadsides in wet ditches. Smith (1988) reports this species from much of Arkansas, though only on the edges of the Ozarks and Ouachitas. This species has ruderal tendencies, and grows in mesic to swampy bottomland forests, roadside ditches, and sunny open wet areas. Yatskievych (1999) notes that most Missouri populations fall into the variety corniculata but prefers to not recognize the varieties. He notes that the "var. interior has variously been segregated from var. corniculata based upon its shorter and narrower main bodies of the fruits. For north central Texas, Diggs, et al. (1999) recognize the var. interior Fernald. This plant occurs from Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, and Virginia south to the gulf coast (Kartesz & Meachum 1999).
Rhynchospora globularis (Chapm.) Small
Smith (1988) lists R. cymosa as a synonym.
Yatskievych recognizes the variety recognita as the variety, giving it a habitat of "upland prairies, sandy or rocky bottom streambanks, margins of sinkhole ponds, and open rocky or sandy areas". Smith (1988) records this species primarily from the Arkansas River Valley, north Central Arkansas, and the eastern half of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. Kartesz & Meachum (1999) do not show this species as occurring in Arkansas and do not recognize the var. recognita. They do show three other varieties: the typical variety of coastal states from Texas to Virginia (and California); var. pinetorum of Texas and Florida to North Carolina coastally; var. saxicola in Georgia and Alabama. Diggs, et al. (1999) provides a key to the var. recognita and the typical variety, with a habitat for the species listed as "damp sandy soils, disturbed sites". Kartesz and Meachum (1999) treat this as R. recognita.
Rhynchospora glomerata (L.) Vahl
Recorded for much of the southern half of Arkansas, excluding the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (Smith 1988). Diggs, et al. (1999) report the habitat as "moist sand" in north central Texas. Occurs through much of the SE USA as far north as Virginia, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, Arkansas, and Kansas.(Kartesz & Meachum 1999).
Rhynchospora gracilenta Gray
Smith reported this taxon from Hot Springs and Calhoun counties, based on several reports he cites. Occurs in the SE USA north to Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and at least historically, up the east coast to New York (Kartesz & Meachum 1999).
Rhynchospora harveyi F. Boott
Scattered in Arkansas, mainly in the NW and N. central areas, but also in Lonoke, Hempstead, Bradley, and Drew counties (Smith 1988). Yatskievych (1999) notes it inhabits "sandstone and dolomite glades and moist areas in upland prairies." Diggs, et al. (1999) list the habitat for the species as "damp sandy soils, disturbed sites". Known from the SE USA (excluding Mississippi), north Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Virginia where it is historic (Kartesz & Meachum 1999).
Rhynchospora inexpansa (Michx.) Vahl
Common in the West Gulf Coastal Plain (pers. obs.) and also reported for Benton County (Smith 1988). This taxon ranges in coastal states from Texas to Virginia and north into only Arkansas inland (Kartesz & Meachum 1999).
Rhynchospora macrostachya Torr.
Smith (1988 and pers. commun.) notes reports or records of this species for Cleburn, Franklin, Hempstead, Johnson, and Sebastian counties. Yatskievych (1999) reports it from sinkhole ponds and streambanks in upland prairies in Missouri. The variety macrostachya may be appropriate and needs review, as Yatskievych (1999) recognizes it. The range covers much of the eastern United States, especailly southeastern states (Kartesz & Meachum 1999). This taxon should be sought in the Red River drainage as it occurs there in Texas (Diggs, et al. 1999).
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Rhynchospora microcarpa Baldw. ex Gray
Orzell & Bridges (1987) reported this for Calhoun County. Its range is identical to the next species, on a state level (Kartesz & Meachum 1999).
Rhynchospora plumosa Ell.
Orzell & Bridges (1987) reported this for Calhoun County. Arkansas is apparently its only non-coastal state, as it ranges from Texas to North Carolina in the SE USA (Kartesz & Meachum 1999).
Rhynchospora rariflora (Michx.) Ell.
Smith records Roberts 1500 at UARK from Calhoun County. The range in the SE USA extends from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Virginia, south to the gulf coast (Kartesz & Meachum 1999).
Rhynchospora scirpoides (Torr.) Gray Longbeak Beaksedge
Kartesz & Meachum report a recent collection of this species at UARK from a 1997 publication of Southwest Naturalist. It is not on the Sept. 2000 Arkansas Flora Committee list.
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Smith provides good keys to most Arkansas Rhynchospora, but omits a few species and uses the normal horrendous termnology of botanists. This key may prove useful to less qualified botanists, but I may not take the time to complete it just yet. Couplet numbers are from Smith (1994), with letters used to generate extra couplets for changes and/or new species. I try to use words that common Arkansan's (and other non-botanists) would use . . . like seeds and flowers!
1. Really huge cap (tubercle) on seed (achene) 1-2 cm long and extending well beyond the flower's (spikelet) tip ......... 2
2. Common, bristles short, about 1/2 the length of the seed (In these two species, bristles are NOT the bristle-like hairy structures which are actually the anther filaments in these two species. Look for short fat structures which look glued to the base of the seed (achene for the botanical elite) ...... R. corniculata (Lam.) Gray
2. Kinda rare, bristles long, longer than the seed (bristles are NOT the bristle like hairy structures, but are short fat structures which look glued to the base of the seed ...... R. macrostachya Torr.
1. Itsy, bitsy cap (tubercle) on seed (achene) about 0.2 cm long and extending well beyond the spikelet .......... 3
3. Bristles fluffy, with lots of side branches, at least at the base ......... R. plumosa Ell.
3. Bristles barbed (with tiny saw-tooth teeth) or smooth, but not fluffly .......... 4
4. Bristle barbs pointing downward (ya gotta use 20x magnification; that's a pretty darn good scope or hand lens) ...................... 5
5. Flowers with a compact, globe-shaped or near globe-shaped, cluster of spikelets, each with one fruit ............ R. cephalantha Gray
5. work on key from here down.
4. Bristle barbs pointing upward ...................... x
x. incomplete key
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R. baldwiniiGray
Occurs in the adjoining states of Louisiana and Mississippi (Kartesz & Meachum 1999). Only in one coastal Louisiana Parish (Cameron), so unlikely in Arkansas (Thomas & Allen 1993).
R. brachychaetaC. Wright
Known from Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida (Kartesz & Meachum 1999). Probably unlikely in Arkansas.
R. breviseta (Gale) Channell
Known in Mississippi and the Atlantic coast in the SE USA (Kartesz & Meachum 1999). Doubtful for Arkansas.
R. chalarocephala Fern. & Gale
Known from Texas to Tennessee, so possible in south Arkansas (Kartesz & Meachum 1999). Only in the outer coastal plain in Louisiana, implying it may not make Arkansas (Thomas & Allen 1993). Also along the gulf and Atlantic coastal states to Virginia.
R. chapmanii M. A. Curtis
Coastal from Louisiana to North Carolina (Kartesz & Meachum 1999), but all east of the Mississippi (Thomas & Allen 1993), so unlikely in Arkansas.
R. ciliaris (Michx.) C. Mohr
Occurs in extreme eastern Louisiana in St. Tammany Parish (Thomas & Allen 1993) so unlikely in Arkansas.
R. compressa Carey ex Chapm.
Another plant of the gulf and Atlantic coastal, Louisiana to South Carolina (Kartesz & Meachum 1999); only in the outer Louisiana coastal plain (Thomas & Allen 1993), so unlikely in Arkansas.
R. crinipes Gale
Coastal species from Mississippi to North Carolina (Kartesz & Meachum 1999), so unlikely in Arkansas.
R. curtissii Britt.
Another coastal species of Mississippi and east (Kartesz & Meachum 1999).
R. debilis Gale
Almost Arkansan, reaching north Louisiana in Union Parish (Thomas & Allen 1993), and also Texas to Virginia in coastal states (Kartesz & Meachum 1999).
R. decurrens Chapman
Another Mississippi and east coastal state plant (Kartesz & Meachum 1999), unlikely in Arkansas.
R. divergens Chapm. ex M. A. Curtis
Coastal in Texas to North Carolina (Kartesz & Meachum 1999), but only in the outer coastal plain parish of Calcasieu in Louisiana (Thomas & Allen 1993) so unlikely in Arkansas.
R. elliottii A. Dietr.
Coastal in Texas to North Carolina (Kartesz & Meachum 1999), and only half the way north through Louisiana (Thomas & Allen 1993) so unlikely in Arkansas.
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