Carex brysonii

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Plants densely cespitose; rhizome internodes 2.4–2.7 mm thick. Culms yellowbrown to redbrown at base, 25–60 cm. Leaves: sheaths scabrous; blades, especially of overwintered leaves, glaucescent, widest blades (3.4–) 3.7–5.8 (–6.1) mm wide, smooth or papillose abaxially, papillae especially on overwintered leaves. Inflorescences 0.22–0.86 of culm height; peduncles of lateral spikes smooth or barely scaberulous; peduncles of terminal spikes 6.6–42 (–58) mm, barely to much exceeding lateral spikes; proximal bract with sheath tight, abaxially scabrous, sheath front apex slightly convex, elongated 0.3–3.7 (–4.4) mm; ligules 0.7–3.4 mm; distal bract overlapping but not exceeding terminal spike. Spikes (3–) 4–5 (–6), separate or distal 2–4 overlapping; lateral spikes pistillate or rarely androgynous, with (2–) 3–11 perigynia, 6–39 × 3.8–6.8 mm, ratio of spike length (in mm) to flower number = 2.3–4.9; terminal spikes (12–) 18–46 × 1.4–3 mm, longest ones (25–) 30–45 mm. Pistillate scales (3.5–) 4.1–7 × 1.3–2.5 mm, margins whitish, entire, apex with awn (0.1–) 1.2–4.1 mm. Staminate scales 3.8–4.3 × 1.3–1.6 mm. Anthers 2.9–3.4 mm. Perigynia spirally imbricate, 49–58-veined, unwrinkled, narrowly ellipsoid to obovoid, obtusely triangular in cross-section, (3.7–) 4–4.7 (–5.1) × 1.5–1.7 (–1.8) mm, (2.2–) 2.5–3.1 times as long as wide, dull, base gradually tapered, apex abruptly contracted; beak slightly excurved, (0.5–) 0.6–1 mm. Achenes broadly obovoidellipsoid to obovoidellipsoid, (2.5–) 2.7–3.5 × 1.4–1.6 (–1.7) mm, tightly enveloped by perigynia; stipe 0.3–0.5 (–0.6) mm, bent 5–45°; beak 0.2 mm, bent 30–70°.

Phenology: Fruiting spring.
Habitat: Mesic deciduous forests, in sandy loams and loamy sands on slopes above streams
Elevation: 90–200 m

Ala.

Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Carex brysonii is very rare and local. It is known from only five populations, all in the drainage of the Black Warrior River.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa