Carex sychnocephala

Illustrator: Susan A. Reznicek

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Culms aphyllopodic, smoothly 3-angled, 8–40 cm. Leaves: sheath white-hyaline adaxially, summit U-shaped, smooth; distal ligule 0.5–4.3 mm; blades 0–3 per culm, 12 cm × 1.2–3 mm. Inflorescences green or pale brown, 1.6–3 cm × 7–15 mm; proximal internode (2–)4–8 mm, 2d internode 1.7–4 mm; bracts appressed to ascending. Spikes 3–8, densely clustered except, often, the proximal 1–2, obovoid-oblanceoloid, 10–16 × 5–7 mm, base acute to acuminate, apex truncate. Pistillate scales white- or gold-hyaline with green or gold midstripe, lanceolate to ovate, to 3.5–4.5 mm, shorter than or longer than perigynia. Perigynia appressed, green or gold to light brown, conspicuously 3–12-veined abaxially, 0–9-veined adaxially, wing 0.1–0.15(–0.2) mm wide, narrowly lanceolate, (4.6–)5.5–7.3 × 0.7–1.2 mm, 0.3–0.4 mm thick; beak tip white, green, or gold, narrowly flat, distance from beak tip to achene 3–5 mm, ± ciliate-serrulate. Achenes elliptic to ovate, 1–1.8 × 0.6–0.8 mm, 0.3–0.4 mm thick. 2n = 64.

Phenology: Fruiting summer–fall.
Habitat: Wet areas, at least seasonally, open, sandy, silty or peaty shores, banks, on limestone
Elevation: less than 1500 m

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Alta., B.C., Man., N.W.T., Ont., Que., Sask., Yukon, Alaska, Colo., Iowa, Mich., Minn., Mo., Mont., N.Y., N.Dak., S.Dak., Wash., Wis.

Discussion

Because Carex sychnocephala often lacks conspicuous rhizomes and has a small diffuse root system, it may appear to be annual. In some situations, it may actually grow as an annual.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.