Carex scopulorum var. prionophylla
Syst. Bot. Monogr. 7: 86. 1985.
IllustratedEndemic
Basionym: Carex prionophylla T. Holm Amer. J. Sci. 164: 423. 1902
Synonyms: Carex miserabilis Mackenzie
Culms 35–90 cm, scabrous on angles. Leaves: proximal sheaths red-brown, fronts with (red) pale brown spots, prominently ladder-fibrillose, bladeless, glabrous, backs scabrous; leaf blades 3–6 mm wide. Perigynia ellipsoid to obovoid, apex acute. 2n = 74.
Phenology: Fruiting Jul–Aug.
Habitat: Wet subalpine meadows
Elevation: 1000–1400 m
Distribution
B.C., Idaho, Mont., Wash.
Discussion
Carex scopulorum var. prionophylla usually occurs at somewhat lower elevations than var. bracteosa. Where the two are sympatric, they can be distinguished by the bladeless, ladder-fibrillose basal sheaths and the narrower ellipsoid perigynia of var. prionophylla.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
None.