Carex houghtoniana

Torrey ex Dewey

Amer. J. Sci. Arts 30: 63, plate Bb, fig. 91. 1836.

Common names: Carex de Houghton
IllustratedEndemic
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 23. Treatment on page 496. Mentioned on page 492.

Plants colonial; rhizomes long-creeping. Culms lateral, trigonous, 20–80(–100) cm, scabrous-angled. Leaves: basal sheaths reddish purple, bladeless, apex of inner band glabrous; ligules 1.5–14 mm; blades green, M-shaped, 2.8–8.5 mm wide, glabrous. Inflorescences 4.5–23 cm; proximal (1–)2–3(–4) spikes pistillate, ascending; distal spikes erect; terminal 1–3 spikes staminate. Pistillate scales lanceolate to ovate, apex acute to acuminate-awned, glabrous, scabrous-ciliate apically. Perigynia ascending to spreading, 16–22-veined, broadly ovoid to broadly ellipsoid, 4.5–6.5 × 2–2.9 mm, cellular details and veination clear, sparsely short-pubescent; beak 1.2–2 mm, bidentulate, teeth straight, 0.5–0.8 mm.


Phenology: Fruiting Jun–Aug.
Habitat: Dry to moist sandy or gravelly soils in open, disturbed sites, rocky balds, ledges
Elevation: 0–1000 m

Distribution

V23 923-distribution-map.jpg

Alta., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr., N.S., Ont., Que., Sask., Ill., Maine, Mich., Minn., N.H., N.Y., Vt., Wis.

Discussion

Carex houghtoniana responds strongly to fire and other disturbances, appearing quickly, presumably from the seedbank, then often dying out in a few years if the disturbance is not repeated.

The epithet is often, but not originally, spelled “houghtonii.”

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Carex houghtoniana"
A. A. Reznicek +  and Paul M. Catling +
Torrey ex Dewey +
Carex de Houghton +
Alta. +, Man. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. +, N.S. +, Ont. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Ill. +, Maine +, Mich. +, Minn. +, N.H. +, N.Y. +, Vt. +  and Wis. +
0–1000 m +
Dry to moist sandy or gravelly soils in open, disturbed sites, rocky balds, ledges +
Fruiting Jun–Aug. +
Amer. J. Sci. Arts +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
Carex houghtoniana +
Carex sect. Paludosae +
species +