Painted Sedge, Star-Rush

Rhynchospora colorata (L.) H. Pfeiff.

rin-KAW-spore-ah  col-or-ATE-ah

Cyperaceae

Explanation of name: Rhynchospora comes from Greek rhynchos, snout, and spora, seed, describing the beaked fruit (FER). Colorata refers to the colored bracts that resemble petals.

Synonym: Dichromena colorata (L.) Hitchc.

Natural range: Texas to Virginia. Native to Florida (FER). Sunny wet habitats, poorly drained flatwoods, marshes, shores (TOB, FER, WU1). FER notes occurrence in brackish sites.

Recognition: Grassy plant potentially rising to about 3’ tall (usually much shorter), with a cluster of bracts beneath the inconspicuous flower clusters. The bracts resemble petals by being bright white in their lower halves.  Rhynchospora latifolia is similar but larger, with more numerous (6 or more vs < 6) bracts > 5 mm wide.

Landscape uses: A charmingly eye-catching “flowering” sedge useful as a bright clumping accent in a wet site. Although the species can be grown under “normal” well watered garden conditions, it is a semi-aquatic plant at heart.