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waterfall's sedge

Habit Plants cespitose, short-rhizomatous.
Culms

brown at base, shorter than leaves.

17–31 cm.

Leaves

basal sheaths not fibrous;

sheath fronts membranous;

sheaths and larger leaves sometimes septate-nodulose;

blades V-shaped in cross section when young, widest at least 2 mm wide, glabrous or papillose.

basal sheaths pale brown to orange-brown;

blades pale green, conspicuously glaucous, widest leaves (4.1–)6–15 mm wide, equaling stems, coriaceous, margins hyaline, white, scabrous.

Inflorescences

1 spike or racemose, to 5 spikes;

bracts absent;

lateral spikes pistillate or androgynous, sometimes some basal;

terminal spike androgynous.

Perigynia

erect, veinless or obscurely veined, margins prominently 2-veined, stipitate, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, rounded-trigonous to terete, base tapering, apex tapering, beaked, glabrous;

beak flattened-triangular, 0.5–6.4 mm, mostly 2+ mm, at least as long as body, entire at orifice.

tightly enveloping achenes, pale green, ellipsoid, 6.7–7.9 × 2–2.7 mm, apex abruptly contracted into beak;

beak 2.7–4 mm, smooth.

Achenes

trigonous, as large as or smaller than bodies of perigynia;

style deciduous, slightly dilated at base.

brown, obovoid to obpyriform, 2.8–3 × 2–2.5 mm.

Proximal

pistillate scales green, usually 10+ mm, leaflike.

Stigmas

3.

clavate, convolute, minutely papillose.

Terminal

spikes with staminate portion 2–5-flowered, 3.2–4 × 1.1–2.8 mm;

pistillate portion 3–14-flowered.

Lateral

spikes 0.

Pistillate

scales green;

proximal scales with apex acuminate;

distal scales ovate, apex obtuse.

Staminate

scales green, ovate, 2.5–3.4 × 0.9–1.5 mm, margins connate at base, enfolding scales above, hyaline, white, apex obtuse.

Anthers

1.6–2.2 mm.

2n

= 98.

Carex sect. Phyllostachyae

Carex latebracteata

Phenology Fruiting spring (late Apr–late May).
Habitat Steep, shaded slopes in rich, mesic to dry-mesic hardwood forests
Distribution
North America
from FNA
AR; OK
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Species 10 (10 in the flora).

The level of knowledge of the taxa in Carex sect. Phyllostachyae has grown immensely during the 1990s, and the number of recognized species has doubled during that period. This section has shown the value in delineating taxa of integrating evidence from macromorphology, micromorphology, anatomy, cytology, ecology, genetics. Intriguing questions about inflorescence structure, character homologies, and phylogenetic relationships with the rest of the genus require further study.

In the key that follows, the length of the perigynium beak should be measured from the summit of the achene to the tip of the beak, regardless of whether or not the perigynium tightly envelops the achene.

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

Carex latebracteata is endemic to the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma.

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

Key
1. Widest leaves (4.1–)6–15 mm wide, conspicuously glaucous.
C. latebracteata
1. Widest leaves (1–)2–5.5 mm wide, green or only inconspicuously glaucous.
→ 2
2. Proximal pistillate scales (2–)2.5–6.5 mm wide, wider than perigynia, surrounding and essentially concealing them; stigmas short, thick, erect or convolute, essentially smooth (papillae minute); staminate flowers 2–4 per spike.
→ 3
2. Proximal pistillate scales (0.9–)1.2–2.5(–3) mm wide, not more than 1.5 times as wide as perigynia, spreading and not concealing them; stigmas long, slender, flexuous, strongly papillose; staminate flowers (2–)5–25 per spike.
→ 5
3. Perigynia gradually tapered; beak 1.9–2.9 mm; achenes loosely enveloped by perigynia.
C. backii
3. Perigynia abruptly tapered; beak 0.5–1.6 mm; achenes tightly enveloped by perigynia.
→ 4
4. Leaves dark green to greenish glaucous, margins white-hyaline, proximal leaf margins and midrib smooth to scabrous; perigynium body papillose on distal 1/3; beak scabrous; achenes 2.5–3 mm.
C. saximontana
4. Leaves dull green to yellowish green, not glaucous, margins green, proximal leaf margins and midrib densely papillose; perigynium body and beak smooth; achenes 2.8–3.5 mm.
C. cordillerana
5. Distal pistillate scales with hyaline margins 0–0.3 mm wide; tallest culms 3.2–9.1 cm; perigynium beak (1.2–)1.4–2.1 mm.
C. juniperorum
5. Distal pistillate scales with hyaline margins 0.3–0.8 mm wide; tallest culms (6–)9–36(–40) cm; perigynium beak (1.5–)2–5.5(–6.4) mm.
→ 6
6. Perigynia 2–3(–4) per spike, apex abruptly contracted; achenes 1.1–1.3 times as long as wide; staminate scales truncate or rounded.
→ 7
6. Perigynia (2–)4–9 per spike, apex gradually tapering; achenes 1.2–2.2 times as long as wide; staminate scales obtuse to acute.
→ 8
7. Staminate portion of terminal spike (4.2–)5.8–14.5 mm; staminate scales 1.1–1.8(–2.1) mm, 0.12–0.25(–0.75) length of staminate portion of terminal spike; perigynium beak 1.6–3.8 mm; basal sheaths brown, lacking red-purple coloration; cataphylls with concave cells.
C. jamesii
7. Staminate portion of terminal spike 3.4–5.6(–6.2) mm; staminate scales (1.9–)2.1–3.3 mm, (0.33–)0.4–0.75 length of staminate portion of terminal spike; perigynium beak 1.4–2.3(–2.5) mm; basal sheaths tinged red-purple; cataphylls with bulging cells.
C. timida
8. Tallest culms less than 0.4 of total plant height, erect; perigynia (7–)7.5–8.9(–10.8) mm; beak (3.6–)4.1–5(–6.4) mm; peduncles usually erect to spreading.
C. superata
8. Tallest culms 0.4–0.9 of total plant height, erect to spreading; perigynia 4.5–8 mm; beak 1.7–4.3 mm; peduncles usually widely spreading to nodding.
→ 9
9. Staminate portion of terminal spike 3.4–8.6(–10.3) mm; perigynia (4.5–)4.9–5.7(–6.5) mm; beak (1.7–)1.9–2.6(–2.8) mm; achenes (1.8–)2.1–2.5 (–2.6) mm.
C. willdenowii
9. Staminate portion of terminal spike (4–)12.7–25.6 mm; perigynia (5.8–)6.2–7.6(–8) mm; beak (2.5–)2.7–3.7(–4.3) mm; achenes (2.4–)2.6–3(–3.4) mm.
C. basiantha
Source FNA vol. 23. Authors: William J. Crins, Robert F. C. Naczi, A. A. Reznicek, Bruce A. Ford. FNA vol. 23, p. 563.
Parent taxa Cyperaceae > Carex Cyperaceae > Carex > sect. Phyllostachyae
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. 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. petricosa, 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. backii, C. basiantha, C. cordillerana, C. jamesii, C. juniperorum, C. latebracteata, C. saximontana, C. superata, C. timida, C. willdenowii
Name authority Tuckerman ex Kükenthal: in H. G. A. Engler, Pflanzenr. 20[IV,38]: 642. (1909) Waterfall: Rhodora 56: 23. (1954)
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