Carex muskingumensis

SPECIES

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

Native toArkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario

Observations recorded2,460

Plants densely cespitose. Culms 40–100 cm; vegetative culms conspicuous, with spreading leaf blades evenly along stem. Leaves: sheaths adaxially green-veined to within 3 mm of collar, adaxially firm, summits usually brown tinged, U- or V-shaped, thick; distal ligules to 2 mm; blades 7–12 per fertile culm, 12–25 cm × 3–5 mm. Inflorescences open at least proximally, brown, (4–)5–9 cm × 10–20 mm; proximal internode (4–)5–15 mm; 2d internode (3–)5–11 mm; proximal bracts scalelike. Spikes 5–12, distant, distinct, lanceoloid, 12–28 × 3.5–7 mm, bases tapered, apex acute. Pistillate scales white-hyaline or pale brown with pale brown midstripe, oblong-ovate, 4–5 mm, 1/2 length of and narrower than perigynia, apex acute. Perigynia appressed-erect, pale brown, conspicuously 5–7-veined abaxially, conspicuously 3–7-veined adaxially, lanceolate, flat to plano-convex, 6–9 × (1.5–) 2–2.5 mm, 0.3 mm thick, margin flat, including wing 0.2–0.4 mm wide; beak tip flat, ciliate-serrulate, abaxial suture inconspicuous, distance from beak tip to achene 3.1–4.5 mm. Achenes elongate-oblong, 2–2.7 × 0.8–0.9 mm, 0.3 mm thick. 2n = 80.