45. Rhynchospora globularis (Chapman) Small, Man. S.E. Fl. 184. 1933 (as Rynchospora).
Rhynchospora cymosa Elliott var. globularis Chapman, Fl. South. U.S., 525. 1860
Plants perennial, cespitose or single, 30–70(–80) cm; rhizomes absent. Culms erect or excurved, lax, leafy, slender to wiry. Leaves overtopped by culm; basal leaves spreading, twisted, distal longer, erect or ascending; blades proximally flat, 1–3 mm wide, apex trigonous, subulate, tapering. Inflorescences: spikelet clusters 1–4, proximalmost widely spaced, spikelets elongate, open, turbinate or compact lobed hemispheric; branches erect to ascending; leafy bracts setaceous, exceeding proximal clusters, exceeded by distal clusters. Spikelets mostly dark brown to brown, globose to broadly ovoid, (2–)2.5–3(–4) mm, apex acute; fertile scales broadly ovate to orbiculate, 1.7–2.3 mm, apex obtuse to rounded or emarginate, midrib mostly included, sometimes excurrent as apiculus. Flowers: perianth bristles 6 or less, antrorsely barbellate, of various lengths. Fruits 1–3 per spikelet, 1.5–1–8 mm (–2 mm in var. pinetorum); body tumidly biconvex; surfaces transversely wavy rugose, intervals of vertically rectangular alveolae or transverse rugosity indistinct, surface isodiametrically alveolate or cancellate; tubercle short conic to patelliform apiculate.
Varieties 3 (3 in the flora): United States, West Indies, Central America.
