Carex extensa

Goodenough

Trans. Linn. Soc. London 2: 175, plate 21, fig. 7. 1794.

IntroducedIllustrated
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 23. Treatment on page 522. Mentioned on page 521.

Culms 15–75 cm. Leaves: basal sheaths reddish; blades of flowering stems channeled or involute, glaucous to grayish green, shorter than to equaling stems, widest blades 1–3.5(–4.3) mm wide. Inflorescences: peduncle of terminal spike 0.2–1 cm; proximal bract 2–10 times as long as inflorescence; pistillate spikes 2–5, spreading to ascending, ovoid to ellipsoid; distal 2–3 spikes clustered, sessile; terminal staminate spike 5–30 × 2–4 mm. Pistillate scales reddish brown with green midribs, apex acute or apiculate. Staminate scales reddish brown with green midribs, margins scarious, apex obtuse to acuminate. Anthers 1.2–3 mm. Perigynia grayish green, with reddish brown speckles, 2.7–3.9 × 1.2–1.9 mm; beak 0.5–1.1 mm. 2n = 60.


Phenology: Fruiting Jun–Jul.
Habitat: Borders of brackish marshes, meadows, and swamps
Elevation: 0–50 m

Distribution

V23 975-distribution-map.jpg

Introduced; Md., N.Y., Va., Eurasia, n Africa.

Discussion

Carex extensa, native to Eurasia, is locally established along the coast from Long Island, New York, to Norfolk County, Virginia. It was first collected on Coney Island, New York in 1860, and it persists in Maryland and Virginia. Additional localities should be sought along that stretch of coast.

Chromosomes counts are not available from North American material; European materials are consistently counted as 2n = 60 (E. W. Davies 1956; W. Dietrich 1972; M. Queiros 1980).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Carex extensa"
William J. Crins +  and A. A. Reznicek +
Goodenough +
Spirostachyae +
Md. +, N.Y. +, Va. +, Eurasia +  and n Africa. +
0–50 m +
Borders of brackish marshes, meadows, and swamps +
Fruiting Jun–Jul. +
Trans. Linn. Soc. London +
Introduced +  and Illustrated +
Carex extensa +
Carex sect. Spirostachyae +
species +