Carex sect. Aulocystis

Dumortier

Fl. Belg., 147. 1827.

Synonyms: Carex sect. Ferrugineae (Tuckerman) Kükenthal
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 23.

Plants cespitose, short to long rhizomatous, sometimes stoloniferous. Culms brown at base, shorter than leaves. Leaves: basal sheaths not fibrous; sheath fronts membranous; blades V-shaped in cross-section when young, proximal leaf-blades with lateral-veins equally prominent, distal leaf-blades at least 2 mm, glabrous. Inflorescences racemose, with 2–8+ spikes; proximal nonbasal bracts filiform or scalelike, sheathing at least 3 mm, longer than diameter of stem; lateral spikes pistillate, androgynous, or, rarely, staminate, pedunculate, prophyllate, pistillate scales ovoid, with not more than 25 perigynia; terminal spike staminate, androgynous, or gynecandrous. Proximal pistillate scales dark-brown to almost black, 1–3-veined, apex obtuse to acuminate. Perigynia ascending or spreading, purplish black at least distally, or black-mottled, veinless or weakly veined, sometimes with 2, strong, marginal veins, stipitate, lanceolate to ovate, biconvex or trigonous in cross-section, less than 10 mm, base tapered to rounded, apex tapering or abruptly beaked, glabrous, setose, or hispidulous; beak straight, ± bidentate. Stigmas (2–) 3. Achenes trigonous, rarely biconvex, smaller than bodies of perigynia; style deciduous.

Distribution

Temperate and artic regions of North America and Eurasia, primarily in temperate Asia

Discussion

Species probably over 50 (8 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Perigynia minutely papillose; pistillate scales minutely papillose at least at center. Carex atrofusca
1 Perigynia and pistillate scales not papillose. > 2
2 Proximal bract sheaths expanded distally, (1.8–)2–3 mm wide at mouth, usually with wide purple band at mouth. Carex luzulifolia
2 Proximal bract sheaths cylindric or slightly expanded distally, less than 2 mm wide at mouth, without or with narrow purple band at mouth. > 3
3 Terminal spike gynecandrous. Carex fuliginosa
3 Terminal spike staminate or androgynous. > 4
4 Distance from achene apex to perigynium beak tip less than 1.5 mm; exserted portion of peduncle of proximal spike usually less than 1 cm. > 5
4 Distance from achene apex to perigynium beak tip 1.5+ mm; exserted portion of peduncle of proximal spike usually more than 1 cm, sometimes shorter. > 6
5 Widest leaf blades 3–6 mm wide; inflorescences more than 15 cm. Carex albida
5 Widest leaf blades 1.5–3(–4) mm wide; inflorescences usually less than 15 cm. Carex lemmonii
6 Perigynia glabrous on faces. > 7
6 Perigynia setose or hispidulous on faces, sometimes sparsely. > 8
7 Pistillate scales 3–5.8 mm; perigynia tapering to indistinct beak to 0.5 (–1) mm, faces distinctly 3–9-veined. Carex petricosa
7 Pistillate scales 1.9–3.5 mm; perigynia usually abruptly beaked to 0.5– 1.5 mm, faces indistinctly veined or distinctly 9–20-veined. Carex luzulina
8 Perigynia without flat margins around achene, faces distinctly 3–9-veined, apex tapering to indistinct beak to 0.5(–1) mm; leaf blades 1–3.5 mm wide. Carex petricosa
8 Perigynia with narrow flat margins around achene, faces indistinctly veined, apex tapering to abrupt beak to 0.5–1.5 mm; leaf blades 3–8 mm wide. Carex fissuricola

"shortened" is not a number.

... more about "Carex sect. Aulocystis"
biconvex;trigonous +
smaller +
hispidulous +, setose +  and glabrous +
beaked;tapering;obtuse;acuminate +
Peter W. Ball +  and Joy Mastrogiuseppe +
Dumortier +
tapered +  and rounded +
straight +
bidentate +
v--shaped +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
glumaceous +  and foliaceous +
2-ranked +  and arranged +
ascending +  and appressed +
scale-like +  and leaflike +
parallel +  and divergent +
terete +, rolled +  and plicate +
round +  and trigonous +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (?) +
Temperate and artic regions of North America and Eurasia +  and primarily in temperate Asia +
open +, pistillate +  and staminate +
hypogynous +  and subtending +
biconvex +  and trigonous +
prophyllate +, pedunculate +, staminate +  and pistillate +
multi-ranked +, 2-ranked +, 3-ranked +  and alternate +
basal +  and cauline +
with (1-)3-6(-30) bristles and/or scales +
stipitate +, veined +  and veinless +
black-mottled +  and purplish black +
spreading +  and ascending +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
2-3(-4)-carpellate +
3 (?) +  and 1 (?) +
scale-like +  and filiform +
adventitious +
1-3-veined +  and pistillate +
black +  and dark-brown to almost +
basal +  and proximal +
cylindric +
1 +  and 3 +
septate +, hollow +  and solid +
compressed +, terete +  and trigonous +
papillate +
deciduous +
2-3(-4)-fid +
Carex sect. Ferrugineae +
Carex sect. Aulocystis +
section +
gynecandrous +  and androgynous +
stoloniferous +  and rhizomatous +
plant +  and cespitose +