Scirpus microcarpus C.Presl

  • Authority

    Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

  • Family

    Cyperaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Scirpus microcarpus J.Presl & C.Presl

  • Description

    Species Description - Coarse, leafy-stemmed perennial from stout creeping rhizomes; stems arising singly or few together, 6–15 dm, obscurely trigonous; lvs several, with flat, grass-like blade (6–)8–15 mm wide and up to several dm long, the sheaths ± anthocyanic; spikelets 4–6(–8) mm, very numerous, sessile in small, pedunculate clusters in a compound, umbelliform, terminal cyme that is subtended by several conspicuous, lf-like, unequal, sheathless bracts, the longest of these mostly 1–3 dm; scales numerous, 1–2 mm, largely hyaline and cellular-reticulate, blackish or greenish-black with greener, ill-defined midrib that may be very shortly excurrent; bristles 4–6, slender, minutely and retrorsely barbellate, slightly surpassing the achene; style bifid (or a few trifid); achenes pale, 1.0–1.2 mm, including the minute stylar apiculus, lenticular or a few trigonous; 2n=62, 66. Wet low ground; Nf. to Alas., s. to W.Va., Io., N.M., and s. Calif.; e. Siberia. Fr June, July. (S. rubrotinctus)