Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Schoenus albus in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 44.
today: The current name for this species is Rhynchospora alba (L.) Vahl
original Latin diagnosis
Schoenus culmo subtriquetro folioso, floribus fasciculatis, foliis setaceis.
English translation
Schoenus with the culm nearly three-angled [and] leafy; with flowers fasciculate; [and] with leaf blades setaceous.
| Schoenus | Schoenus |
| with the culm | culmo - ablative singular of second declension masculine noun culmus, -i |
| nearly three-angled | subtriquetro - ablative singular masculine of group B adjective subtriquetris, -is, -e; modifies culmo |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| leafy; | folioso - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective foliosus, -a, -um; modifies culmo |
| with flowers | floribus - ablative plutsl of third declension masculine noun flos, floris |
| fasciculate; | fasciculatis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective fasciculatus, -a, -um; modifies floribus |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with leaf blades | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| setaceous. | secateis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective setaceus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |