94. Carex mesochorea Mack.
Pl. 55 l–o; Map 210
C. cephalophora Muhl. ex Willd. var.
mesochorea (Mack.) Gleason
Plants with poorly developed rhizomes,
forming tufts or clumps. Flowering stems 15–95 cm long, shorter than to more
commonly longer than the leaves. Leaf blades 2–30 cm long, 2.5–5.0 mm wide,
green to light green, with a dense covering of minute papillae (visible only
with magnification) on one or both surfaces. Leaf sheaths tight around the
stem, the ventral side relatively firm and without cross-wrinkles, usually
remaining intact at maturity, the dorsal side green, lacking white areas or
mottling, the ligule shorter than wide and U- or V-shaped. Inflorescence
compact, ovate in outline, dense and headlike, the 3–8 spikes difficult to
distinguish, the lowermost bracts 4–20 mm long, shorter than the inflorescence,
hairlike with the base broadened. Spikes 5–7 mm long, 5–9 mm wide, with 8–22
ascending to spreading perigynia, the scales 1.8–3.1 mm long, 2/3 as long to
about as long as the perigynia, ovate to elliptic, the tip sharply pointed and
mostly short-awned. Perigynia 2.9–3.7 mm long, 1.6–2.5 mm wide, up to 2 times
as long as wide, elliptic-ovate in outline, widest just below the middle, the
tip with a short beak with minutely toothed or roughened margins, the base
rounded to broadly narrowed, the basal portion not thickened with corky to
spongy tissue, light green to straw-colored, the ventral surface nerveless, the
dorsal surface nerveless or with 1–4 faint nerves. Stigmas relatively short,
slender, mostly straight. Fruits 1.5–2.0 mm long, broadly ovate to nearly
circular in outline. April–August.
Scattered nearly throughout Missouri, but apparently absent from western portions of the Glaciated Plains Division
(northeastern U.S. and adjacent Canada west to Nebraska and Kansas; apparently
introduced in California). Mesic to dry upland forests and upland prairies;
also pastures, roadsides, and railroads.
Carex mesochorea is superficially
very similar to C. cephalophora but tends to be a more robust plant with
fewer, larger spikes and larger perigynia and fruits. In Missouri, it is less
common than C. cephalophora.