blunt spikerush

This is Eleocharis obtusa in the family cyperaceae:

This particular plant was photographed at LeFleur's Bluff state park on May 11, 2010.  This plant is a native of the Contiguous 48 States, Canada and Hawaii.  It isn't a large plant, rather, it has numerous stalks each topped with the flower picture above.  The stalks radiate from a common base that, for this specimen, was obscured by the shallow water/mud it was growing in.

marsh flatsedge

This is an example of Cyperus pseudovegetus in the family of cyperaceae:

This was found at LeFleur's Bluff State park here in Jackson, MS on May 11, 2010. C. pseudovegetus is a native plant found largely in the southeastern United States.  This is an example of a spike flower arrangement.

heal-all

here is prunella vulgaris of the family lamiaceae:

whose flower is arrangement is a spike. this plant is native to the United States. i found this example at the Brandon property, early May of 2009.