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Photo is of parent taxon

mountain sedge

Photo is of parent taxon

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

Culms

11–40 cm, glabrous on angles.

35–90 cm, scabrous on angles.

Leaves

proximal sheaths brown, fronts with pale brown spots, veinless, with blades, glabrous;

leaf blades 3–6 mm wide.

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

leaf blades 3–6 mm wide.

Perigynia

obovoid.

ellipsoid to obovoid, apex acute.

2n

= 74.

Carex scopulorum var. scopulorum

Carex scopulorum var. prionophylla

Phenology Fruiting Aug–Sep. Fruiting Jul–Aug.
Habitat Wet subalpine and alpine meadows Wet subalpine meadows
Elevation 3000–4500 m (9800–14800 ft) 1000–1400 m (3300–4600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; WY
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; MT; WA; BC
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

A common sedge of the southern Rocky Mountains, Carex scopulorum var. scopulorum is distinguished from var. bracteosa by the glabrous stems and sheaths, and by the broader more obovoid perigynia.

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

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