Luzula confusa
Bot. Not. 1855: 9. 1856.
Rhizomes 0.5–1 cm. Culms cespitose, stiffly erect, 3–28 cm. Leaves: sheaths reddish; basal leaves (persisting for several seasons,) reddish, exceeding inflorescence to as short as cauline leaves, glabrous; cauline leaves 2–3, reddish, rarely to 6 cm, often reaching or exceeding inflorescence, glabrous. Inflorescences: glomerules 1–4, pedunculate; main branches 1–3(–4), arching in 1 direction, 1–4 cm, terminated by 2–several peduncles each bearing 1–5 flowers; peduncles 2 mm; ; proximal inflorescence bract usually inconspicuous, though variable in size and shape; bracts and bracteoles conspicuous, clear to deep brown, margins lacerate to fimbriate to abundantly ciliate. Flowers: tepals dark brown with clear apex, 1.6–2.6 mm; outer whorl longer than inner whorl; anthers ca. 2 times filament length; stigmas much exceeding styles. Capsules dark brown, ovoid, ± equaling to shorter than tepals. Seeds dark brown, (with tuft of fine tangled hairs), ellipsoid, 0.8–1.2 mm. 2n = 36.
Phenology: Flowering and fruiting late summer.
Habitat: Wet, exposed rocky and sandy hillsides, lichen tundra, and mountain summits, growing where it may be practically only vascular plant
Elevation: circumpolar; 500–1300 m
Distribution
Greenland, B.C., Man., Nfld. and Labr. (Labr.), N.W.T., Nunavut, Ont., Que., Sask., Yukon, Alaska, Maine, N.H., Vt., Eurasia.
Discussion
Basal leaves and cauline leaves (numbering 2 or 3) are reddish and glabrous in Luzula confusa. Inflorescences have 1–3(–4) main branches terminated by 2–several peduncles, each bearing 1–5 flowers. The flowers are characterized by stigmas that much exceed the styles in length.
Selected References
None.