Carex abrupta

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Plants densely cespitose. Culms 18–66 cm. Leaves: sheaths adaxially white-hyaline, often tinged brown distally, summits U-shaped or rounded, sometimes prolonged beyond collar; distal ligules 1–3 (–4.5) mm; blades 3–6 per fertile culm, 10–30 (–45) cm × 1.5–3.7 (–4.9) mm. Inflorescences dense or open, brown and green, 1.2–2.2 cm × (6–) 9–18 mm; proximal internode 1–3 mm; 2d internode 1–2 mm, these 2 internodes collectively less than 1/3 as long as inflorescences; proximal bracts bristlelike, shorter than inflorescences. Spikes 4–9, distinct or densely aggregated and individually indistinct, usually ovoid to broadly ovoid, 4.4–10.8 × 2.7–8.4 mm, base and apex acute to rounded. Pistillate scales redbrown or chestnut to coppery, with green, gold, or light-brown midstripe, usually ovate, 2.4–3.9 mm, shorter than perigynia, width less than or equal to perigynia, margin white, 0–0.05 mm wide, apex obtuse to acuminate. Perigynia appressed-ascending to ascending-spreading, redbrown, coppery, or chestnut, conspicuously (5–) 7–10-veined abaxially, conspicuously 3–8-veined adaxially, veins reaching top of achene, elliptic to lanceovate, planoconvex to biconvex or, sometimes, flat around achene, (2.9–) 3.6–5.4 × 1–2.1 mm, 0.4–0.5 (–0.6) mm thick, margin flat, including wing usually 0.2–0.3 mm wide, often incurved adaxially, perigynia then boatshaped, ciliate-serrulate on distal body; beak coppery or dark-brown at tip, occasionally narrowly flattened, cylindric, unwinged, usually less than 1 mm, ± entire for 0.5–0.8 mm, abaxial suture usually with conspicuous white margin, distance from beak tip to achene (1.6–) 2–2.3 mm. Achenes narrowly compressed elliptic to ovate-quadrate, 1.2–1.8 × 0.7–1.1 mm, (0.3–) 0.4–0.5 mm thick.

Phenology: Fruiting summer.
Habitat: Moist mountain meadows and slopes
Elevation: 1400–3300 m

Calif., Idaho, Nev., Oreg.

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa