Flora of the Southeastern United States

Rhynchospora macra (C.B. Clarke) Small. Common name: Southern White Beaksedge. Phenology: Jul-Sep. Habitat: Sphagnum bogs in frequently-burned streamhead pocosins, sandhill seepage bogs, highly acid, quaking peat bogs. Distribution: Sc. North Carolina south to ne. Florida, Florida Panhandle, and west to se. Texas; Nicaragua; Puerto Rico. The occurrence of this species in North Carolina and South Carolina is discussed by Sorrie et al. (1997).

ID notes: R. macra is a robust southern relative of R. alba. Like R. alba and R. pallida, it has scales which are at first bright white, "fading" in age to a medium tan or light brown. These three species are thus superficially most distinctive (from other Rhynchospora) in June, July, and August. The bright white heads make this beaksedge stand out. R. alba looks nearly alike, but it has 10-12 bristles per achene (vs. 16-20 bristles); R. pallida has whitish to tan heads and distinctive, enlarged, rather bulbous bases.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = ETx1, FNA23, GW1, K1, K4, NS, POWO, Tx, WH3, Gale (1944), McMillan (2007); = n/a — RAB; = Rynchospora alba (L.) Vahl var. macra C.B. Clarke — S13; = Rynchospora macra — S. Basionym: Rhynchospora alba (L.) Vahl var. macra C.B.Clarke ex Britton 1892

Links to other floras: = Rhynchospora macra - FNA23

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
• Great Plains: OBL

Heliophily ⓘ: 8