Plants cespitose or not, short to long rhizomatous. Culms pale brown at base. Leaves: basal sheaths not fibrous; sheath fronts membranous; blades V-shaped in cross section when young, glabrous. Inflorescence 1 spike per culm; bracts absent; spike androgynous. Proximal pistillate scales soon deciduous, less than 10 mm, shorter than perigynium, apex obtuse or subacute. Perigynia at first erect, becoming deflexed, obscurely veined, very obliquely substipitate, lance-subulate to narrowly elongate-oblong, almost round in cross section, base tapered and spongy, apex tapering gradually to beak, glabrous; beak less than 2 mm, orifice truncate. Stigmas 3. Achenes narrowly oblong or narrowly oblong-lanceoloid, trigonous with sides concave proximally, much smaller than bodies of perigynia; style persistent.

Distribution

Widespread in arctic, boreal, and alpine regions of North America and Eurasia, w and s South America, c Asia.

Discussion

Species 5 or 6 (2 in the flora).

Members of Carex sect. Leucoglochin are further characterized by pistillate scales that fall very early.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Carex microglochin, Carex pauciflora

Key

1	Perigynia 3.4–4.7 mm (excluding rachilla); rachilla exserted 0.5–2.8 mm from orifice of beak, exceeding style, style not exserted; pistillate scales (except the proximal) 2.4–3 mm; proximal leaves blade-bearing.	Carex microglochin
1	Perigynia (5–)5.9–7.8 mm; rachilla vestigial, style exserted; pistillate scales 3.7–5.9 mm; proximal leaves bladeless.	Carex pauciflora