Carex canescens subsp. canescens

Common names: Carex blanchâtre
Illustrated
Synonyms: Carex canescens var. robustina Macoun Carex canescens var. robustior Blytt ex Andersson Carex subloliacea
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 23.

Culms 15–60 cm. Inflorescences 3–5 (–7) cm, all but proximal spikes approximate or slightly remote. 2n = 56.


Phenology: Fruiting Jun–Aug.
Habitat: Wet, usually base-poor habitats, such as sphagnum bogs, moist coniferous forests and meadows, from lowlands to near the timberline in mountains
Elevation: 0–3500 m

Distribution

V23 558-distribution-map.jpg

Greenland, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr., N.W.T., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Yukon, Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., D.C., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Mont., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.Dak., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., Wis., Wyo., South America, Eurasia, Australia

Discussion

Carex canescens subsp. canescens is a variable taxon with a wide circumpolar distribution; it is found throughout the distibution range of the species, except the southernmost parts of southeastern United States. Many varieties and forms have been described in the subspecies. Slender, short plants with subglobose spikes and small, short-beaked perigynia have often been called var. subloliacea. Those plants represent both subspecies treated herein and to a minor part also C. lapponica. Tall, robust plants with stout, relative dark perigynia from mountainous regions (especially British Columbia and Alaska) may represent an ecotype and are often called var. robustior. Similar specimens have been collected from southern South America (Tierra del Fuego, Falkland Islands). The status of the taxon needs further study.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"shortened" is not a number.No values specified.

0.125 cm1.25 mm <br />0.00125 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
dull +  and slightly glossy +
oblong-obovate +
smaller +
1mm;1.25mm +
beaked +  and beakless +
papillose +  and smooth +
obtuse;acutish +
Heikki Toivonen +
Linnaeus +
truncate +  and rounded +
inconspicuous +
0.01 cm0.1 mm <br />1.0e-4 m <br /> (0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br />) +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
pale green +  and gray-green +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br />) +
v--shaped +
subequal +  and shorter +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
glumaceous +  and foliaceous +
2-ranked +  and arranged +
ascending +  and appressed +
scale-like +  and leaflike +
parallel +  and divergent +
terete +, rolled +  and plicate +
brownish tinged +
subequal +
Carex blanchâtre +
not stiff +
round +  and trigonous +
15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br /> (60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
Greenland +, St. Pierre and Miquelon +, Alta. +, B.C. +, Man. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. +, N.W.T. +, N.S. +, Ont. +, P.E.I. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Yukon +, Alaska +, Ariz. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Conn. +, Del. +, D.C. +, Idaho +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Mont. +, Nev. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Mex. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.Dak. +, Utah +, Vt. +, Va. +, Wash. +, Wis. +, Wyo. +, South America +, Eurasia +  and Australia +
0–3500 m +
open +, pistillate +  and staminate +
hypogynous +  and subtending +
biconvex +  and trigonous +
Wet, usually base-poor habitats, such as sphagnum bogs, moist coniferous forests and meadows, from lowlands to near the timberline in mountains +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br />) +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
red tinged +  and hyaline +
sessile +  and pistillate +
multi-ranked +, 2-ranked +, 3-ranked +  and alternate +
basal +  and cauline +
slightly longer than wide +
angled;rounded +
conspicuous +
with (1-)3-6(-30) bristles and/or scales +
yellowish-brown +  and gray-green +
0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
appressed-ascending +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
Fruiting Jun–Aug. +
2-3(-4)-carpellate +
3 (?) +  and 1 (?) +
sheathless +  and bristlelike +
remote +  and approximate +
adventitious +
hyaline with green +
basal +  and proximal +
2-keeled +
cylindric +
Illustrated +
gynecandrous +
1 +  and 3 +
septate +, hollow +  and solid +
compressed +, terete +  and trigonous +
papillate +
deciduous +
2-3(-4)-fid +
Carex canescens var. robustina +, Carex canescens var. robustior +  and Carex subloliacea +
Carex canescens subsp. canescens +
Carex canescens +
subspecies +
plant +  and cespitose +