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Carex lacustris - (image 1 of 6)

Taxonomy

Family: Cyperaceae

Section Paludosae

Habitat

Shores, wet woods, marshes, swamps, fens.

Associates

Distribution

Quebec to VA, west to Saskatchewan and NE.

Morphology

Rhizomatous perennial, aphyllopodic; stems stout, sharply-angled, to 1.5 m; sheaths septate-nodulose, lowest sheath bases reddish and fibrillose; ligules much longer than wide, v-shaped. Main leaves blue-green, 8-15 mm wide, glaucous below, harshly scabrous margin, strong lateral nerves. Terminal spikes male, 2-4; pistillate spikes dense, 2-4, 3-10 cm long, erect, sessile or on short peduncles; perigynia firm, dull green, 5-7 long and 2-3 mm wide, lance-ovoid, many nerved; scales reddish, much shorter than perigynia, ovate to oblong, abruptly awned. Achene trigonous, continuous with the persistent, slender, abruptly bent or flexuous style; stigmas 3.

Notes

Flowers May to June

Wetland indicator: Obligate

The leaf margin is beset with many sharp, tiny teeth. May hybridize with C. trichocarpa.

References

Curtis, L. 2006. Woodland Carex of the upper Midwest. Lake Villa, IL.

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

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

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