Rhynchospora mesoatlantica (Cyperaceae), an imperiled new species of beaksedge from eastern U.S.A.

Rhynchospora mesoatlantica sp. nov. (Cyperaceae) is described, illustrated, and compared with morphologically similar species. Rhynchospora mesoatlantica is known only from southern Delaware, southeastern Maryland, and southern New Jersey, all within the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S.A. It inhabits...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Amanda Treher Eberly, Robert F. C. Naczi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pensoft Publishers 2023-12-01
Series:PhytoKeys
Online Access:https://phytokeys.pensoft.net/article/111271/download/pdf/
_version_ 1797418505660792832
author Amanda Treher Eberly
Robert F. C. Naczi
author_facet Amanda Treher Eberly
Robert F. C. Naczi
author_sort Amanda Treher Eberly
collection DOAJ
description Rhynchospora mesoatlantica sp. nov. (Cyperaceae) is described, illustrated, and compared with morphologically similar species. Rhynchospora mesoatlantica is known only from southern Delaware, southeastern Maryland, and southern New Jersey, all within the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S.A. It inhabits sunny, wet margins of natural, shallow, nutrient-poor, seasonal ponds of the Coastal Plain. Narrow leaf blades; fruits obpyriform in outline; faces of mature fruits possessing a central, pale, well-demarcated disk; and fruit tubercle margins denticulate for most of their lengths indicate R. mesoatlantica is most similar to R. filifolia and R. harperi. Rhynchospora mesoatlantica is unique in its fruit dimensions, scales intermediate in length between R. filifolia and R. harperi, and relatively long fruit stipe. The NatureServe rank of Critically Imperiled and the IUCN rank of Endangered appear warranted for R. mesoatlantica because only six populations are known to be extant, most quite small and isolated; all populations occur within a small geographic area; populations have declined; and serious threats confront the survival of the species.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T06:34:52Z
format Article
id doaj.art-15f50a7a592245048248fc1c14306692
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1314-2003
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-09T06:34:52Z
publishDate 2023-12-01
publisher Pensoft Publishers
record_format Article
series PhytoKeys
spelling doaj.art-15f50a7a592245048248fc1c143066922023-12-03T11:00:05ZengPensoft PublishersPhytoKeys1314-20032023-12-01236658110.3897/phytokeys.236.111271111271Rhynchospora mesoatlantica (Cyperaceae), an imperiled new species of beaksedge from eastern U.S.A.Amanda Treher Eberly0Robert F. C. Naczi1NatureServeNational Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian InstitutionRhynchospora mesoatlantica sp. nov. (Cyperaceae) is described, illustrated, and compared with morphologically similar species. Rhynchospora mesoatlantica is known only from southern Delaware, southeastern Maryland, and southern New Jersey, all within the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S.A. It inhabits sunny, wet margins of natural, shallow, nutrient-poor, seasonal ponds of the Coastal Plain. Narrow leaf blades; fruits obpyriform in outline; faces of mature fruits possessing a central, pale, well-demarcated disk; and fruit tubercle margins denticulate for most of their lengths indicate R. mesoatlantica is most similar to R. filifolia and R. harperi. Rhynchospora mesoatlantica is unique in its fruit dimensions, scales intermediate in length between R. filifolia and R. harperi, and relatively long fruit stipe. The NatureServe rank of Critically Imperiled and the IUCN rank of Endangered appear warranted for R. mesoatlantica because only six populations are known to be extant, most quite small and isolated; all populations occur within a small geographic area; populations have declined; and serious threats confront the survival of the species.https://phytokeys.pensoft.net/article/111271/download/pdf/
spellingShingle Amanda Treher Eberly
Robert F. C. Naczi
Rhynchospora mesoatlantica (Cyperaceae), an imperiled new species of beaksedge from eastern U.S.A.
PhytoKeys
title Rhynchospora mesoatlantica (Cyperaceae), an imperiled new species of beaksedge from eastern U.S.A.
title_full Rhynchospora mesoatlantica (Cyperaceae), an imperiled new species of beaksedge from eastern U.S.A.
title_fullStr Rhynchospora mesoatlantica (Cyperaceae), an imperiled new species of beaksedge from eastern U.S.A.
title_full_unstemmed Rhynchospora mesoatlantica (Cyperaceae), an imperiled new species of beaksedge from eastern U.S.A.
title_short Rhynchospora mesoatlantica (Cyperaceae), an imperiled new species of beaksedge from eastern U.S.A.
title_sort rhynchospora mesoatlantica cyperaceae an imperiled new species of beaksedge from eastern u s a
url https://phytokeys.pensoft.net/article/111271/download/pdf/
work_keys_str_mv AT amandatrehereberly rhynchosporamesoatlanticacyperaceaeanimperilednewspeciesofbeaksedgefromeasternusa
AT robertfcnaczi rhynchosporamesoatlanticacyperaceaeanimperilednewspeciesofbeaksedgefromeasternusa