Plants usually cespitose, short to long rhizomatous, sometimes inconspicuously rhizomatous. Culms redbrown at base. Leaves: basal sheaths fibrous or not, persistent sheaths usually absent; sheath fronts membranous, puberulent; blades V-shaped in cross-section when young, glabrous or puberulent. Inflorescence usually 1 spike, rarely short second spike; bractless or bract filiform, sheathless, prophyllate; spikes unisexual, mostly staminate and pistillate spikes on different plants. Proximal pistillate scales with apex obtuse to acute, ciliate. Perigynia erect, veinless or obscurely veined, with 2 prominent marginal veins, stipitate, lanceolate to ovate or obovate, rounded-trigonous in cross-section, less than 10 mm, base tapering or rounded, apex tapering or rounded to beak, pubescent; beak 0.1–0.5 mm, emarginate or shortly bidentate, teeth less than 0.8 mm. Stigmas (2–) 3 (–4). Achenes usually trigonous, smaller than bodies of perigynia; style deciduous. x = 29, 31.

Distribution

w and n North America, Europe (Norway), and Asia

Discussion

Species 3 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Carex curatorum, Carex scabriuscula, Carex scirpoidea

Key

1	Culms 5–35(–40) cm; achenes tightly enveloped by perigynia, occupying full width and at least 3/4 length of perigynia; North America, Europe, Asia.	Carex scirpoidea
1	Culms (25–)35–91 cm; achenes loosely enveloped by perigynia, occupying 1/3–2/3 width and 1/3–3/4 length of perigynia; restricted to North America.	> 2
2	Perigynia tawny to red-brown, distal 3/4 hirsute; leaves sparsely pilose adaxially at 20X; n Arizona and s Utah.	Carex curatorum
2	Perigynia purple-black, distal 1/3 sparsely hairy; leaves glabrous adaxially; sw Oregon and nw California.	Carex scabriuscula

"shortened" is not a number.