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rock-dwelling sedge

Habit Plants cespitose, short to long rhizomatous, sometimes stoloniferous. Plants loosely cespitose; rhizomes slender, long.
Culms

brown at base, shorter than leaves.

10–90 cm.

Leaves

basal sheaths not fibrous;

sheath fronts membranous;

blades V-shaped in cross section when young, proximal leaf blades with lateral veins equally prominent, distal leaf blades at least 2 mm, glabrous.

blades 1–3.5 mm wide.

Inflorescences

racemose, with 2–8+ spikes;

proximal nonbasal bracts filiform or scalelike, sheathing at least 3 mm, longer than diameter of stem;

lateral spikes pistillate, androgynous, or, rarely, staminate, pedunculate, prophyllate, pistillate scales ovoid, with not more than 25 perigynia;

terminal spike staminate, androgynous, or gynecandrous.

3–12(–22) cm;

proximal internodes 10–60(–100) mm;

peduncles of proximal spikes to 8 cm;

proximal bracts with blades 5–140 mm, sheaths cylindric, 5–25(–35) mm, mouth 0.9–1.5 mm wide.

Spikes

3–8;

lateral spikes androgynous or pistillate, rarely some entirely staminate, the proximal inclined or pendent, 5–30 × 3–7 mm;

terminal spike staminate or androgynous, 10–28 × 1.8–4 mm.

Perigynia

ascending or spreading, purplish black at least distally, or black-mottled, veinless or weakly veined, sometimes with 2, strong, marginal veins, stipitate, lanceolate to ovate, biconvex or trigonous in cross section, less than 10 mm, base tapered to rounded, apex tapering or abruptly beaked, glabrous, setose, or hispidulous;

beak straight, ± bidentate.

ascending, pale yellow proximally, brown or black distally, 3–9-veined, lanceolate, 3.5–5.5 × 1.1–2.4 mm, margins ciliate-serrulate distally, apex tapered, shortly setose, sometimes setae confined to veins, or subglabrous;

beak indistinct, to 0.5(–1) mm.

Achenes

trigonous, rarely biconvex, smaller than bodies of perigynia;

style deciduous.

obovoid, 1.7–2.2 × 1–1.3 mm.

Proximal

pistillate scales dark brown to almost black, 1–3-veined, apex obtuse to acuminate.

Stigmas

(2–)3.

Pistillate

scales brown to black, oblong-obovate, 3–5.8 × 1.1–2 mm, apex obtuse to acute, sometimes shortly awned.

Staminate

scales brown or black with hyaline margins, oblong-ovate, 3.1–6.2 × 1–3 mm.

Anthers

1.5–3 mm.

Carex sect. Aulocystis

Carex petricosa

Distribution
Temperate and artic regions of North America and Eurasia; primarily in temperate Asia
from FNA
AK; MT; AB; BC; NT; QC; YT; e temperate Asia
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Species probably over 50 (8 in the flora).

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Carex petricosa shows considerable variation, even within one clone, in the distribution of staminate and pistillate flowers in the inflorescence. The two taxa recognized can usually be distinguished by stigma number. A small number of individuals are to determine on purely morphologic grounds.

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

Key
1. Perigynia minutely papillose; pistillate scales minutely papillose at least at center.
C. atrofusca
1. Perigynia and pistillate scales not papillose.
→ 2
2. Proximal bract sheaths expanded distally, (1.8–)2–3 mm wide at mouth, usually with wide purple band at mouth.
C. luzulifolia
2. Proximal bract sheaths cylindric or slightly expanded distally, less than 2 mm wide at mouth, without or with narrow purple band at mouth.
→ 3
3. Terminal spike gynecandrous.
C. fuliginosa
3. Terminal spike staminate or androgynous.
→ 4
4. Distance from achene apex to perigynium beak tip less than 1.5 mm; exserted portion of peduncle of proximal spike usually less than 1 cm.
→ 5
4. Distance from achene apex to perigynium beak tip 1.5+ mm; exserted portion of peduncle of proximal spike usually more than 1 cm, sometimes shorter.
→ 6
5. Widest leaf blades 3–6 mm wide; inflorescences more than 15 cm.
C. albida
5. Widest leaf blades 1.5–3(–4) mm wide; inflorescences usually less than 15 cm.
C. lemmonii
6. Perigynia glabrous on faces.
→ 7
6. Perigynia setose or hispidulous on faces, sometimes sparsely.
→ 8
7. Pistillate scales 3–5.8 mm; perigynia tapering to indistinct beak to 0.5 (–1) mm, faces distinctly 3–9-veined.
C. petricosa
7. Pistillate scales 1.9–3.5 mm; perigynia usually abruptly beaked to 0.5– 1.5 mm, faces indistinctly veined or distinctly 9–20-veined.
C. luzulina
8. Perigynia without flat margins around achene, faces distinctly 3–9-veined, apex tapering to indistinct beak to 0.5(–1) mm; leaf blades 1–3.5 mm wide.
C. petricosa
8. Perigynia with narrow flat margins around achene, faces indistinctly veined, apex tapering to abrupt beak to 0.5–1.5 mm; leaf blades 3–8 mm wide.
C. fissuricola
1. Stigmas 3; achenes trigonous in at least 1/2 of pistillate flowers and fruits.
var. petricosa
1. Stigmas 2; achenes biconvex in at least 1/2 of pistillate flowers and fruits.
var. misandroides
Source FNA vol. 23. Authors: Peter W. Ball, Joy Mastrogiuseppe. FNA vol. 23, p. 478.
Parent taxa Cyperaceae > Carex Cyperaceae > Carex > sect. Aulocystis
Sibling taxa
C. aboriginum, C. abrupta, C. abscondita, C. acidicola, C. acutiformis, C. adelostoma, C. adusta, C. aestivalis, C. aggregata, C. alata, C. albicans, C. albida, C. albolutescens, C. albonigra, C. albursina, C. alma, C. alopecoidea, C. amphibola, C. amplectens, C. amplifolia, C. angustata, C. annectens, C. anthoxanthea, C. aperta, C. appalachica, C. aquatilis, C. arapahoensis, C. arcta, C. arctata, C. arctiformis, C. arenaria, C. argyrantha, C. arkansana, C. assiniboinensis, C. atherodes, C. athrostachya, C. atlantica, C. atrata, C. atratiformis, C. atrofusca, C. atrosquama, C. aurea, C. aureolensis, C. austrina, C. austrocaroliniana, C. backii, C. baileyi, C. baltzellii, C. barbarae, C. barrattii, C. basiantha, C. bebbii, C. bella, C. bicknellii, C. bicolor, C. bigelowii, C. biltmoreana, C. blanda, C. bolanderi, C. bonanzensis, C. brainerdii, C. brevicaulis, C. brevior, C. breweri, C. bromoides, C. brunnescens, C. brysonii, C. bulbostylis, C. bullata, C. bushii, C. buxbaumii, C. calcifugens, C. californica, C. canescens, C. capillaris, C. capitata, C. careyana, C. caroliniana, C. caryophyllea, C. castanea, C. cephaloidea, C. cephalophora, C. chalciolepis, C. chapmanii, C. cherokeensis, C. chihuahuensis, C. chordorrhiza, C. circinata, C. collinsii, C. communis, C. comosa, C. complanata, C. concinna, C. concinnoides, C. congdonii, C. conjuncta, C. conoidea, C. constanceana, C. cordillerana, C. corrugata, C. crawei, C. crawfordii, C. crebriflora, C. crinita, C. cristatella, C. crus-corvi, C. cryptolepis, C. cumberlandensis, C. cumulata, C. curatorum, C. cusickii, C. dasycarpa, C. davisii, C. davyi, C. debilis, C. decomposita, C. deflexa, C. densa, C. deweyana, C. diandra, C. digitalis, C. diluta, C. disperma, C. distans, C. disticha, C. divisa, C. divulsa, C. douglasii, C. duriuscula, C. ebenea, C. eburnea, C. echinata, C. edwardsiana, C. egglestonii, C. eleusinoides, C. elliottii, C. elynoides, C. emoryi, C. endlichii, C. engelmannii, C. epapillosa, C. exilis, C. exsiccata, C. extensa, C. festucacea, C. feta, C. filifolia, C. fissa, C. fissuricola, C. flacca, C. flaccosperma, C. flava, C. floridana, C. foenea, C. folliculata, C. formosa, C. fracta, C. frankii, C. fuliginosa, C. garberi, C. geophila, C. geyeri, C. gholsonii, C. gigantea, C. glacialis, C. glareosa, C. glaucescens, C. glaucodea, C. globosa, C. gmelinii, C. godfreyi, C. gracilescens, C. gracilior, C. gracillima, C. granularis, C. gravida, C. grayi, C. grisea, C. gynandra, C. gynocrates, C. gynodynama, C. halliana, C. hallii, C. harfordii, C. hassei, C. haydeniana, C. haydenii, C. heleonastes, C. helleri, C. hendersonii, C. heteroneura, C. heterostachya, C. hirsutella, C. hirta, C. hirtifolia, C. hirtissima, C. hitchcockiana, C. holostoma, C. hoodii, C. hookeriana, C. hormathodes, C. hostiana, C. houghtoniana, C. hyalina, C. hyalinolepis, C. hystericina, C. idahoa, C. illota, C. impressinervia, C. incurviformis, C. infirminervia, C. inops, C. integra, C. interior, C. interrupta, C. intumescens, C. jamesii, C. jonesii, C. joorii, C. juniperorum, C. kobomugi, C. kraliana, C. krausei, C. lachenalii, C. lacustris, C. laeviconica, C. laeviculmis, C. laevivaginata, C. lapponica, C. lasiocarpa, C. latebracteata, C. lativena, C. laxa, C. laxiculmis, C. laxiflora, C. leavenworthii, C. lemmonii, C. lenticularis, C. leporinella, C. leptalea, C. leptonervia, C. leptopoda, C. limosa, C. livida, C. loliacea, C. lonchocarpa, C. longii, C. louisianica, C. lucorum, C. lupuliformis, C. lupulina, C. lurida, C. lutea, C. luzulifolia, C. luzulina, C. lyngbyei, C. mackenziei, C. macloviana, C. macrocephala, C. macrochaeta, C. magellanica, C. manhartii, C. marina, C. mariposana, C. maritima, C. mckittrickensis, C. meadii, C. media, C. melanostachya, C. membranacea, C. mendocinensis, C. merritt-fernaldii, C. mertensii, C. mesochorea, C. michauxiana, C. microchaeta, C. microdonta, C. microglochin, C. micropoda, C. microptera, C. misera, C. missouriensis, C. mitchelliana, C. molesta, C. molestiformis, C. muehlenbergii, C. multicaulis, C. multicostata, C. muricata, C. muriculata, C. muskingumensis, C. nardina, C. nebrascensis, C. nelsonii, C. nervina, C. neurophora, C. nigra, C. nigricans, C. nigromarginata, C. normalis, C. norvegica, C. nova, C. novae-angliae, C. nudata, C. obispoensis, C. obnupta, C. obtusata, C. occidentalis, C. oklahomensis, C. oligocarpa, C. oligosperma, C. opaca, C. oreocharis, C. ormostachya, C. oronensis, C. ouachitana, C. ovalis, C. oxylepis, C. ozarkana, C. pachystachya, C. paeninsulae, C. paleacea, C. pallescens, C. panicea, C. pansa, C. parallela, C. parryana, C. pauciflora, C. paysonis, C. peckii, C. pedunculata, C. pellita, C. pelocarpa, C. pendula, C. pensylvanica, C. perdentata, C. perglobosa, C. petasata, C. phaeocephala, C. picta, C. pigra, C. pityophila, C. planispicata, C. planostachys, C. plantaginea, C. platyphylla, C. pluriflora, C. podocarpa, C. polymorpha, C. praeceptorum, C. praegracilis, C. prairea, C. prasina, C. praticola, C. preslii, C. projecta, C. proposita, C. pseudocyperus, C. pumila, C. purpurifera, C. radfordii, C. radiata, C. ramenskii, C. rariflora, C. raynoldsii, C. recta, C. reniformis, C. retroflexa, C. retrorsa, C. richardsonii, C. roanensis, C. rosea, C. rossii, C. rostrata, C. rotundata, C. rufina, C. rupestris, C. ruthii, C. sabulosa, C. salina, C. sartwelliana, C. sartwellii, C. saxatilis, C. saximontana, C. scabrata, C. scabriuscula, C. schottii, C. schweinitzii, C. scirpoidea, C. scoparia, C. scopulorum, C. senta, C. seorsa, C. serpenticola, C. serratodens, C. sheldonii, C. shinnersii, C. shortiana, C. siccata, C. silicea, C. simulata, C. socialis, C. sparganioides, C. specifica, C. spectabilis, C. specuicola, C. spicata, C. spissa, C. sprengelii, C. squarrosa, C. stenoptila, C. sterilis, C. stevenii, C. stipata, C. straminea, C. straminiformis, C. striata, C. striatula, C. stricta, C. styloflexa, C. stylosa, C. subbracteata, C. suberecta, C. subfusca, C. subnigricans, C. subspathacea, C. superata, C. supina, C. swanii, C. sychnocephala, C. sylvatica, C. tahoensis, C. tenax, C. tenera, C. tenuiflora, C. tetanica, C. tetrastachya, C. texensis, C. thornei, C. thurberi, C. timida, C. tincta, C. tompkinsii, C. tonsa, C. torreyi, C. torta, C. triangularis, C. tribuloides, C. trichocarpa, C. triquetra, C. trisperma, C. tuckermanii, C. tumulicola, C. turbinata, C. turgescens, C. typhina, C. umbellata, C. unilateralis, C. ursina, C. utriculata, C. vacillans, C. vaginata, C. vallicola, C. venusta, C. vernacula, C. verrucosa, C. vesicaria, C. vestita, C. vexans, C. virescens, C. viridula, C. vulpinoidea, C. whitneyi, C. wiegandii, C. willdenowii, C. williamsii, C. woodii, C. wootonii, C. xerantica
Subordinate taxa
C. albida, C. atrofusca, C. fissuricola, C. fuliginosa, C. lemmonii, C. luzulifolia, C. luzulina, C. petricosa
C. petricosa var. misandroides, C. petricosa var. petricosa
Synonyms C. section Ferrugineae
Name authority Dumortier: Fl. Belg., 147. (1827) Dewey: Amer. J. Sci. Arts 29: 246, plate W, fig. 70. (1836)
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