Ecological Risk Screening Summary - Starrush Whitetop (Rhynchospora colorata) - Uncertain Risk

Rhynchospora colorata, Starrush Whitetop, is a flowering plant that is native to North and South America. This perennial plant can be found in a variety of environments but is typically seen in wetlands. R. colorata is in trade as an ornamental plant in the United States. The genus Rhynchospora is regulated in Louisiana. R. colorata has been observed outside of its native range, however, information on the origin of this species in the Eastern Hemisphere is not clear and complicated by a taxonomic issue. No populations outside the native range could be confirmed as established, and no information on impacts of introductions was found. The History of Invasiveness for Rhynchospora colorata is classified as No Known Nonnative Population due to the uncertainty around the species range and lack of information on impacts of introduction. The climate matching analysis for the contiguous United States indicates establishment concern for this species outside its native range. Areas of high match were found in the southeastern United States, surrounding the native range, extending from central Texas to southern New Jersey. Areas of low match were found primarily in the West. The Certainty of Assessment for this ERSS is classified as Low due to limited information and the unclear introduced range. The Overall Risk Assessment Category for Rhynchospora colorata in the contiguous United States is Uncertain.