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Carex careyana - (image 1 of 5)

Taxonomy

Family: Cyperaceae

Section Laxiflorae  

Habitat

Calcareous woods.

Associates

Distribution

NY to southern Ontario, MI, and IA, south to VA, AL, and MO.

Morphology

Tufted perennial, 30-60 cm; fertile stems triangular, roughened on the angles, purple at the base; basal sheaths purple; leaves smooth, those of the sterile shoots 1-2.5 cm wide; leaves of fertile shoots 2-6 mm wide; terminal spike staminate, purplish, pedunculate; pistillate spikes 2 or 3, scattered, the lowest sometimes basal; pistillate scales acute to cuspidate; perigynia 4-7, overlapping, 5-6.5 mm, with many fine nerves and also 2-ribbed, sharply trigonous, elliptic-ovate in outline, tapering to a slightly oblique beak with an entire orifice; achene sharply trigonous.

Notes

Fruiting May to June

Wetland indicator: NA

This species is similar to C. plantaginea but has somewhat more slender leaves that are not puckered and bracts with well-developed blades. The perigynia are also a little larger.

References

Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY

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