Common names: Carex à balais
IllustratedEndemic
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 23. Treatment on page 362. Mentioned on page 360.

Inflorescences dense to open, 1.5–6 cm; spikes densely aggregated to distant. Pistillate scales golden brown or pale, sometimes darkened when mature. Perigynia pale or golden-brown, similar in color to pistillate scales and beaks, lanceolate to elliptic, 4.2–6.8 × 1.2–2 mm, (2.5–)2.8–4 times as long as wide. 2n = 56, 58, 60, 68.


Phenology: Fruiting late spring–summer.
Habitat: Wet to dry, open habitats, usually on acidic, often sandy soils
Elevation: 0–2000 m

Distribution

V23 633-distribution-map.jpg

Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., D.C., Ga., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Mont., Nebr., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.C., S.Dak., Tenn., Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

Some populations of Carex scoparia from the central and southern Appalachian Mountains have unusually long beaks (greater than 3.7 mm). When long beaks occur in more robust plants with large spikes and spreading perigynia, the plants look remarkably different from typical lowland or western populations.

Carex scoparia var. scoparia grows syntopically with other species from sect. Ovales and may form sterile hybrids. P. E. Rothrock et al. (1997) documented putative hybrids between C. scoparia and C. alata, C. hormathodes, C. straminea, and C. suberecta.

See note under 146. Carex longii.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
Joy Mastrogiuseppe +, Paul E. Rothrock +, A. C. Dibble +  and A. A. Reznicek +
Schkuhr ex Willdenow +
Carex à balais +
Alta. +, B.C. +, Man. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.) +, N.S. +, Ont. +, P.E.I. +, Que. +, Ark. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Conn. +, Del. +, D.C. +, Ga. +, Idaho +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Kans. +, Ky. +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Miss. +, Mo. +, Mont. +, Nebr. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.C. +, S.Dak. +, Tenn. +, Vt. +, Va. +, Wash. +, W.Va. +  and Wis. +
0–2000 m +
Wet to dry, open habitats, usually on acidic, often sandy soils +
Fruiting late spring–summer. +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
Carex scoparia var. scoparia +
Carex scoparia +
variety +