Rhynchospora
| Beak-sedge | |
|---|---|
| Rhynchospora fascicularis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Cyperaceae |
| Genus: | Rhynchospora Vahl |
| Type species | |
| Rhynchospora alba (L.) Vahl. | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Rhynchospora (beak-rush or beak-sedge) is a genus of about 400 species of sedges with a cosmopolitan distribution. The genus includes both annual and perennial species, mostly with erect 3-sided stems and 3-ranked leaves. The achenes bear a beak-like tubercule (hence the name “beak-rush”, although the plants are sedges, not rushes) and are sometimes subtended by bristles. Many of the species are similar in vegetative appearance, and mature fruits are needed to make a positive identification.
The inflorescences (spikelets) are sometimes subtended by bracts which can be leaf-like or showy.
Members of this genus have holocentric chromosomes and have become a model for the study of chromosome evolution and meiotic recombination in holocentric plants. The genomes of Rhynchospora pubera, R. breviuscula, and R. tenuis have been published in 2022.