112. Carex frankii Kunth

Pl. 60 a–e; Map 228

Flowering stems 15–80 cm long, bluntly trigonous, tinged reddish purple at the base. Leaf blades 2–60 cm long, 3–10 mm wide, flat. Leaf sheaths with the tip not extended past the insertion point of the leaf, truncate to shallowly concave, the ligule shorter than to longer than wide and U- or V-shaped, the ventral side tinged yellowish brown, the lowermost sheaths tinged reddish purple. Inflorescence with 3–8 spikes mostly densely spaced near the tip of the axis, the lowermost bract with a well-developed sheath. Terminal spike usually entirely staminate (rarely with a few perigynia at the tip), 5–40 mm long, the staminate scales 5–8 mm long, linear, the tip tapered gradually to an awn, green with white margins. Lateral spikes 2–7, 10–50 mm long, 8–12 mm wide, narrowly oblong in outline, rounded at both ends, the pistillate scales 5–12 mm long, linear, the tip tapered gradually to a long awn, equaling or surpassing the perigynium, green with white margins. Perigynia 3.5–6.0 mm long, spreading widely to horizontal, the surface with 2 ribs and 10–18 fine nerves, yellowish green to olive green at maturity. Styles straight or nearly so. Fruits with the main body 1.5–2.3 mm long, obovate in outline, bluntly trigonous, brownish yellow, often somewhat shiny. 2n=36. May–September.

Common nearly throughout Missouri, but apparently absent from the northwestern corner of the state (northeastern U.S. and adjacent Canada west to Nebraska and Texas; Mexico). Bottomland forests, bottomland prairies, banks of streams and spring branches, margins of ponds, sinkhole ponds, and lakes, sloughs, and fens; also railroads, roadsides, ditches, and moist margins of crop fields.