Rhynchospora californica Gale

Plants perennial, cespitose, to 100 cm; rhizomes absent. Culms arching, slender, leafy. Leaves exceeded by culm; blades elongate linear, proximally flat, 2–3 mm wide, apex trigonous, subulate. Inflorescences terminal and lateral, clusters 2–3, loosely turbinate, clusters, capillary pedun-culate; distal foliaceous bracts mostly exceeded by inflorescences. Spikelets few per cluster, brown, broadly ovoid, 4 mm, apex acuminate; fertile scales oblong ovate, 3 mm, midrib forming small awn. Flowers: perianth bristles 6, exceeding tubercle tip, antrorsely barbellate. Fruits mostly 2 per spikelet, 3 mm; body pale yellow brown, pyriform-obovoid, lenticular, 2 × 1.4 mm; surfaces transversely wavy rugulose, vertically striate alveolate between ridges; tubercle subulate triangular, 1 mm.

Calif.

Fruiting summer–fall.

Marshes, bogs, seeps; of conservation concern; 500–1000m.

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 Francisco Bay Area. It bears long, thin stems topped with dense inflorescences of dark brown flowers enfolding grainlike fruits that have white-fuzzy tubercles. It is a plant of marshes and bogs.

Rhynchospora californica là loài thực vật có hoa trong họ Cói. Loài này được Gale miêu tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1944.