Klapperstarr

SPECIES

1. KingdomPlantae
2. PhylumTracheophyta
3. ClassLiliopsida
4. OrderPoales
5. FamilyCyperaceae

Native toAlaska, Aleutian Is., Baltic States, British Columbia, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Kamchatka, Labrador, Magadan, Manitoba, New Brunswick

Observations recorded9,081

Plants densely cespitose, in small clumps; rhizomes short. Culms often arching, weak, 10–40(–60) cm. Leaves: sheaths pale to mid brown abaxially, inner band thin and hyaline, concave at summit; ligules as wide as long, 2–8 mm; blades usually gray-green, flat to channeled, 5–15 cm × 1–2 mm, usually shorter than culms. Inflorescences erect, 1–2 cm × 5–12 mm; proximal bracts usually scalelike, shorter than spikes. Spikes 2–4, closely approximate, individually distinct, proximal lateral spikes pistillate, containing 5–10(–15) perigynia, oblong-linear; terminal spike gynecandrous, containing 10(–20) perigynia, clavate. Pistillate scales pale to red-brown with yellow-brown center and white-hyaline margins, oblong-ovate, subequal to perigynia, apex obtuse. Perigynia ascending, light to pale brown, often gray-brown at maturity, lightly or obscurely several-veined, from broadly elliptic-obovate to lanceolate, 1.5–3.5 × 1.–1.5 mm, widest near middle, subcoriaceous; beak short, entire. Achenes mid brown to red-brown, elliptic, 1.5 × 1–1.25 mm, dull to slightly glossy. 2n = 66.