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Published In: Synopsis Plantarum Glumacearum 2: 226. 1855. (Syn. Pl. Glumac.) Name publication detailView in BotanicusView in Biodiversity Heritage Library
 

Project Name Data (Last Modified On 9/1/2009)
Acceptance : Accepted
Project Data     (Last Modified On 7/9/2009)
Status: Native

 

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46. Carex gracilescens Steud.

Pl. 42 m–p; Map 162

Vegetative stems shorter than the flowering stems but at least 2–5 cm long, the leaves 1–6 mm wide, slightly wider than those of the flowering stems, green to dark green. Flowering stems 15–60(80) cm long, dark reddish purple at the base. Leaf blades 1–20 cm long, 1–5 mm wide. Lowermost, nearly bladeless sheaths dark reddish purple. Spikes 3–5 per stem, the bracts leaflike, the uppermost mostly shorter than the inflorescence. Staminate spike 6–25 mm long, sessile or more commonly long-stalked, only rarely hidden by the uppermost pistillate spikes and bracts. Pistillate spikes 5–30 mm long, 3–4 mm wide, the uppermost sometimes nearly sessile, the others loosely spaced along the upper half of the inflorescence, mostly long-stalked, ascending to drooping, with 4–18 perigynia. Scales of the staminate spikes 3.5–4.0 mm long, ovate to lanceolate, pointed at the tip, dull purple to brownish purple or brown, with a green midrib. Pistillate scales 2.8–3.0 mm long, oblong-elliptic, rounded to bluntly pointed at the tip, the midrib extended as a short to long awn, yellowish white to white, with a green midrib, the margins sometimes tinged with purple. Perigynia 2.2–3.0 mm long, obovate to elliptic in outline, the short beak abruptly bent. Fruits 2.6–2.8 mm long, obovate to elliptic in outline. 2n=40. April–June.

Scattered, mostly south of the Missouri River (eastern U.S. and adjacent Canada west to Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Oklahoma). Mesic to dry upland forests, on calcareous substrates.

For a discussion of difficulties in separating this species from C. blanda, see the treatment of that species.

 
 


 

 
 
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