Plants cespitose or not, short- or long-rhizomatous. Culms pale brown at base. Leaves: basal sheaths not or scarcely fibrous; sheath fronts membranous; blades threadlike or V-shaped in cross section, glabrous. Inflorescence 1 spike; bracts absent; spike androgynous or pistillate, lax. Proximal pistillate scales persistent, exceeding perigynia, apex cuspidate or awned. Perigynia not more than 15, erect, weakly veined, linear-lanceolate, obscurely trigonous, 3–6 mm, 3–4 times as long as wide, base tapering, margins rounded, apex tapering to beak, glabrous; beak less than 2 mm, orifice obliquely cleft. Stigmas (2–)3. Achenes usually trigonous, 1.5–2.5 mm, smaller than bodies of perigynia; style deciduous.

Distribution

North America, amphi-Pacific.

Discussion

Species 4 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Carex anthoxanthea, Carex circinata

Key

1	Plants cespitose, short-rhizomatous; leaves involute; distal margins of perigynia finely serrulate.	Carex circinata
1	Plants not cespitose, long-rhizomatous; leaves flat; distal margins of perigynia smooth.	Carex anthoxanthea