Rhynchospora triflora
Content
Description
Perennial.
Leaves rigid, complicate at the base, otherwise flat, long- acuminate, scabrous on the margins, glaucous, (3-)4-6 mm wide;
Inflorescence consisting of 1 or 2 distant, loose, corymbiform anthelas, 25-50 cm long;
Lowest flower bisexual, upper ones ♂.
Stamens 3;
Distribution
Africa present: Angola (Angola present); Cameroon (Cameroon present); Congo (Congo present), America present, Asia-Tropical: Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present), Ceylon present, Fr. Guyana present, Lower Fly River present, Pahang present, Rhodesia present, SE. New Guinea present, Southern America: Honduras (Honduras present); Paraguay (Paraguay present), Tasek Bera present, W. Africa present
America (West Indies, Honduras, Fr. Guyana, Brazil, Paraguay), Africa (Cameroon, Rhodesia, W. Africa, Angola, Congo), Ceylon, Indo-China; in Malesia: Malay Peninsula (Pahang: Tasek Bera) and SE. New Guinea (Lower Fly River).
Notes
The habit is that of R. corymbosa, but more slender, and the leaves narrower. At once distin- guishable by the subulate, not grooved beak of the nut. KÜKENTHAL () dis- tinguished the Papuan collection (BRASS 8356) as var. papuana: Leaves and bracts narrower, scarcely wider than 2 mm; nut obovate-oblong, 4 mm long. In the specimens of this collection I have seen the leaves are 4 mm wide and the nuts not different from those of typical R. triflora. Like BLAKE () I think they do not deserve varietal distinction.