Rhynchospora nivea Boeckeler. Common name: Snowy Whitetop Sedge. Phenology: Apr-Oct. Habitat: Creek beds and seepages over limestone or other calcareous substrates. Distribution: Se. and s. OK south c. TX (especially the Edwards Plateau). Reported for Arkansas County, AR (Kartesz 2022), but the only basis for attributing this species to Arkansas are two 19th century specimens labeled "Arkansas" and likely from what is now sc. OK.
ID notes: The bright white inflorescence bracts of the "Whitetop Sedges" (in our region: R. colorata, R. floridensis, R. latifolia, R. nivea) form a very visually distinctive group within Rhynchospora; R. nivea has the fewest (sometimes lacking entirely) and shortest bracts of this group. See Rhynchospora Key B.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = ETx1, FNA23, GrPl, K4, NS, POWO; = Dichromena nivea (Boeckeler) Boeckeler ex Britton — S13, Tx. Basionym: Rhynchospora nivea Boeckeler 1871-1873 [1872]
Links to other floras: = Rhynchospora nivea - FNA23
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
- Great Plains: FACW
Heliophily ⓘ: 8
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.
© Eric Keith, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Eric Keith source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Eric Keith, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Eric Keith source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Eric Keith, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Eric Keith source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Jake Smith, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jake Smith source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Eric Keith, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Eric Keith source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷Feedback
See something wrong or missing on about Rhynchospora nivea? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months. If a species is not keyed, that's because keying is ongoing. Please don't send us feedback about unkeyed species.
Horticultural Information
No horticultural data found for this taxon.