Carex ovalis

Goodenough

Trans. Linn. Soc. 2: 148. 1794.

Common names: Carex des lièvres
Synonyms: Carex tracyi Mackenzie
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 23. Treatment on page 353. Mentioned on page 334, 341, 342, 354.
Revision as of 21:09, 16 December 2019 by FNA>Volume Importer

Plants densely cespitose. Culms (24–)35–85 cm. Leaves: sheath adaxially white-hyaline, summits U-shaped to rounded; distal ligules 2–3 mm; blades (1–)2–4(–5) per fertile culm, flat ± to tip, 7–22 cm × (1.5–)2–3.5(–4) mm. Inflorescences stiffly erect, usually open, brown, 1.5–4 cm × 10–15 mm; proximal internode (2.5–)4–10 mm; 2d internode (2.5–)3–6 mm; proximal bracts scalelike or bristlelike, shorter than inflorescences. Spikes 5–9, usually loosely aggregated, ovoid to broadly ovoid, 9–14 × 6–8 mm, base attenuate, apex rounded to tapered. Pistillate scales reddish gold to brown or greenish, often white-hyaline at tip or base, with pale or green midstripe, narrowly to broadly ovate, 3.4–5 mm, length and width less or greater than perigynia, margin not white-hyaline, apex acute to acuminate. Perigynia ascending to ascending-spreading, gold to light brown, conspicuously 3–9-veined abaxially, conspicuously 2–5-veined adaxially, lanceolate to ovate, usually flat except over achene, 3.4–4.7(–5.2) × 1.3–2.1 mm, 0.4–0.5 mm thick, margin flat, including wing 0.2–0.6 mm wide; beak red-brown or gold at tip, usually cylindric, unwinged, ± entire for 0.3–0.5 mm, sometimes flat, ciliate-serrulate to tip, abaxial suture often with conspicuous white margin, distance from beak tip to achene (1.2–)1.5–2 mm. Achenes elliptic to broadly ovate, 1.1–1.8 × 0.9–1.2 mm, 0.4–0.5 mm thick. 2n = 62, 64, 66, 68.


Phenology: Fruiting summer.
Habitat: Meadows, seasonally wet soils
Elevation: 0–1100 m

Distribution

V23 613-distribution-map.jpg

St. Pierre and Miquelon, B.C., N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.S., P.E.I., Calif., Maine, Nev., N.H., N.Y., N.C., Oreg., Pa., Tenn., Wash., Wis., Eurasia, New Zealand.

Discussion

Carex leporina Linnaeus has been incorrectly applied to C. ovalis in North America.

Carex ovalis is naturalized in the flora in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Connecticut, Maine (one locality), New Hampshire, New York, and Wisconsin; it is naturalized also in New Zealand.

West coast plants are apparently native and sometimes have been recognized as a distinct species, Carex tracyi.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Carex ovalis"
Joy Mastrogiuseppe +, Paul E. Rothrock +, A. C. Dibble +  and A. A. Reznicek +
Goodenough +
Carex des lièvres +
St. Pierre and Miquelon +, B.C. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.) +, N.S. +, P.E.I. +, Calif. +, Maine +, Nev. +, N.H. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, Tenn. +, Wash. +, Wis. +, Eurasia +  and New Zealand. +
0–1100 m +
Meadows, seasonally wet soils +
Fruiting summer. +
Trans. Linn. Soc. +
Illustrated +
Carex tracyi +
Carex ovalis +
Carex sect. Ovales +
species +