Scirpus cespitosus L.
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Authority
Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.
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Family
Cyperaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Stems very densely tufted on a short, freely rooting rhizome, 1–4 dm, smooth, subterete, clothed with several conspicuous, light brown scale-lvs at the base, and commonly with a single more normal lf a little higher, this with a typical sheath but the blade slender and only 4–6 mm; spikelet 1, terminal, brown, 4–6 mm, several-fld, the invol represented only by 2 or 3 empty scales at the base (these often deciduous as the spikelet approaches full maturity), the lowest scale with a prominent, broad, blunt awn 1–3 mm that may shortly surpass the spikelet; scales ovate, acute to shortly mucronate; bristles 6, very fragile, usually shortly surpassing the achene; anthers 1.1–2.5 mm; achene trigonous, brown, 1.5–1.7 mm, minutely apiculate; 2n=104. Tundra, alpine mats, and acid bogs; circumboreal, s. in Amer. to the mts. of N. Engl. and N.Y. and to n. Ill., Minn., Utah, and Oreg.; disjunct in the mts. of N.C. and Tenn. Fr June–Aug. (Trichophorum c.)