Carex crinita Lam.
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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 - Densely tufted, 4–16 dm, the strongly aphyllopodic stems surpassing the lvs; main lvs 7–13 mm wide, the sheaths glabrous, bracts lf-like, sheathless or nearly so, the lowest one 2–5.5 dm; spikes loosely spreading to drooping on slender peduncles, often curved, the staminate ones 1–3, slender, 4–9 cm; pistillate spikes 2–5, below the staminate, linear-cylindric, 4–11 cm; pistillate scales (at least the lower) with truncate or often retuse body, the sides thin and coppery-brown, the conspicuous pale midvein prolonged into a rough flat awn to 10 mm; upper scales usually shorter than the lower; perigynia silky-green, 2-ribbed, otherwise nerveless or faintly nerved, smooth to slightly papillate distally, somewhat inflated, nearly circular in x-section, rounded to an abrupt, minute beak; achene lenticular; 2n=66. Wet woods and swales; Nf. and Que. to Minn., s. to Ga. and Tex. The widespread var. crinita has ellipsoid to obovoid perigynia 2–3(–3.5) × 1–2 mm, achene constricted on one side or edge, with a bent style, varying to straight and symmetrical. The var. brevicrinis Fernald, mainly along the coastal plain, n. locally to Mass., Ky., and Mo., has strongly obovoid perigynia 3–4.5 × 2–3 mm, the achene symmetrical.