Carex filifolia

Nuttall

Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 2: 204. 1818.

IllustratedEndemic
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 23. Treatment on page 567. Mentioned on page 566.

Culms round or trigonous, filiform, wiry, angles proximal to spike blunt or sharp, 5–35 cm, shorter than or longer than leaves. Leaves: basal leaf sheaths fibrillose when old; blades yellow-green or bright green, involute-cylindric, quill-shaped, 6–25 cm, 0.3–0.7 mm wide near base. Spike 7–30 × 3–7 mm, staminate portion 4–14 mm. Proximal pistillate scales pale red-brown with white or gold margins, broadly obovate, 2.3–4.5(–6.5) × 1.7–4 mm, shorter or longer than perigynia, apex obtuse to short-awned. Staminate scales red-brown with broad, white margins, broadly obovate, apex obtuse. Perigynia (2–)5–18, appressed to ascending, white to gold, obovate to orbiculate, 1.9–4.8 × 1.3–2 mm, body conspicuously hirsute or pubescent, at least distal 1/4 (occasionally only proximal to beak); beak 0–0.8 mm, style base often conspicuously exserted from beak; rachilla present. Achenes obovate to elliptic, 1.5–3.3 × 1.1–1.9 mm. Stigmas ± black.

Distribution

V23 1082-distribution-map.jpg

Alta., B.C., Man., N.W.T., Sask., Yukon, Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Kans., Minn., Mont., N.Dak., N.Mex., Nebr., Nev., Oreg., S.Dak., Utah, Wash., Wyo.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Perigynia (2.8–)3–4.8 mm, beak 0.2–0.8 mm; achene 2.2–3.3 mm; longest pistillate scales (excluding awns) usually equaling or longer than perigynia. Carex filifolia var. filifolia
1 Perigynia 1.9–3 mm, beak absent or less than 0.2(–0.3) mm; achene 1.5–2.3 mm; longest pistillate scales (excluding awns) often shorter than perigynia. Carex filifolia var. erostrata
... more about "Carex filifolia"
Joy Mastrogiuseppe +
Nuttall +
Filifoliae +
Alta. +, B.C. +, Man. +, N.W.T. +, Sask. +, Yukon +, Alaska +, Ariz. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Idaho +, Kans. +, Minn. +, Mont. +, N.Dak. +, N.Mex. +, Nebr. +, Nev. +, Oreg. +, S.Dak. +, Utah +, Wash. +  and Wyo. +
Gen. N. Amer. Pl. +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
Carex filifolia +
Carex sect. Filifoliae +
species +