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Carex scabrata - (image 1 of 4)

Taxonomy

Family: Cyperaceae

Section Anomalae  

Habitat

Shaded moist or springy ground, swamps.

Associates

Distribution

Nova Scotia and Quebec west to MI, south to NJ, OH, MO and in mountain to GA.

Morphology

Colonial from creeping rhizomes, to 90 cm; lower leaves well-developed (phyllopodic); leaves 4-8 mm wide on fertile shoots, to 14 mm wide on sterile shoots; staminate spike 2-4 cm long on a shorter peduncle; pistillate spikes 3-several, cylindric, 2-4 cm, erect; lower spikes on long peduncles; bracts leaf-like, sheathless; pistillate scales lanceolate, about as long as the perigynia, acuminate to acute; perigynia obovoid, trigonous, to 4.4 mm, minutely hairy, 2-ribbed with few nerves; beak bidentate, half as long as the perigynia body and somewhat curved; achene trigonous.

Notes

Fruiting June to August

Wetland indicator: OBL

The specific epithet refers to the scabrous (rough) nature of the leaves and stems. A distinctive species and the only member of section Anomalae found in eastern North America.

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

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

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