FNPS Plant Database

Rhynchospora latifolia

giant whitetop, sandswamp whitetop

PHOTOS COMING SOON!

Nomenclature

Common Name:

giant whitetop, sandswamp whitetop

Synonym(s):

Dichromena latifolia

Genus species:

Rhynchospora latifolia

Family:

Cyperaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

grass

Size:

1.5-2.5 ft tall by 1.5-2 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

NA

Phenology:

Fall-winter dormant. Blooms in spring.

Noted For:

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Wetland garden or informal savanna.

Considerations:

Availability:

Propagation:

Seed, division.

Light:

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

4 ---to--- 9

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

1

Soil or Other Substrate:

Soil pH:

Acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Text

Native Habitats:

Savannas, wet prairies.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

This is a sedge. Most Rhynchospora species are wind pollinated. The white bracts of this species attract insects.

Citations:

Salt: https://ecoscapes.bugwood.org/plant.cfm?code=RHLA7 Insects: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=rhco7 https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rhynchospora-colorata/

Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell.  1999.  Native Florida Plants.  Gulf Publishing Company.  Houston, TX.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu /).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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