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Photo is of parent taxon

firethread sedge, saw-leaf Rocky Mountain sedge, saw-leaf sedge

Culms

35–90 cm, scabrous on angles.

Leaves

proximal sheaths red-brown, fronts with (red) pale brown spots, prominently ladder-fibrillose, bladeless, glabrous, backs scabrous;

leaf blades 3–6 mm wide.

Perigynia

ellipsoid to obovoid, apex acute.

2n

= 74.

Carex scopulorum var. prionophylla

Phenology Fruiting Jul–Aug.
Habitat Wet subalpine meadows
Elevation 1000–1400 m (3300–4600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; WA; BC
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Carex scopulorum var. prionophylla usually occurs at somewhat lower elevations than var. bracteosa. Where the two are sympatric, they can be distinguished by the bladeless, ladder-fibrillose basal sheaths and the narrower ellipsoid perigynia of var. prionophylla.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 23, p. 400.
Parent taxa Cyperaceae > Carex > sect. Phacocystis > Carex scopulorum
Sibling taxa
C. scopulorum var. bracteosa, C. scopulorum var. scopulorum
Synonyms C. prionophylla, C. miserabilis
Name authority (Holm) L. A. Standley: Syst. Bot. Monogr. 7: 86. (1985)
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