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• Sedges
• Carex arctogena

Carex arctogena — capitate sedge

Facts

Found only on the high-elevation alpine slopes and plateaus of New Hampshire, capitate sedge is ranked as threatenend in New England.

Habitat

Alpine or subalpine zones, mountain summits and plateaus, talus and rocky slopes

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Bumps on fruit

  there are no papillae on the perigynium surface

  Distance between perigynia

  0 mm

  Length of scale

  • the scale is nearly as long as, or longer than, the perigynium
  • the scale is shorter than the perigynium

  Lowest spike length

  6–15 mm

  Lowest spike stalk length

  0 mm

  Perigynium beak

  the perigynium has a beak

  Perigynium beak length

  0.3–1 mm

  Perigynium beak orientation

  the beak of the perigynium is straight, and in line with the perigynium

  Perigynium beak serrations

  • the perigynium beak has no serrations
  • the perigynium beak has tiny serrations along the edges

  Perigynium beak teeth

  • the perigynium beak is divided at the top into two teeth
  • the perigynium beak is not divided at the tip into two teeth, or the teeth are very tiny

  Perigynium beak teeth length

  At least 0 mm

  Perigynium color

  • brown
  • tan

  Perigynium cross-section

  the perigynium is planoconvex (flat on one surface and rounded on the other) in cross-section

  Perigynium hairs

  the perigynium has no hairs

  Perigynium length

  2–4 mm

  Perigynium nerve number

  At least 0

  Perigynium nerve texture

  • NA
  • the nerves on the perigynium are raised, even after drying the perigynium

  Perigynium nerves upper side

  0

  Perigynium orientation

  • the perigynia are angled outwards
  • the perigynia are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis or adjacent perigynia

  Perigynium puffy

  the perigynium is inflated (there is space between the perigynium and the achene)

  Perigynium shape

  the perigynium body is ovate (egg-shaped)

  Perigynium width

  1.5–1.8 mm

  Perigynium winged

  the perigynium has no wings

  Pollen- and seed-producing spikes

  some of the spikes produce perigynia

  Pollen-producing spike length

  0 mm

  Pollen-producing spike number

  0

  Pollen-producing spike peduncle length

  0 mm

  Pollen-producing spike width

  0 mm

  Scale awn

  The carpellate scale does not have an awn (it may have a short point)

  Scale awn texture

  NA

  Scale color

  white or translucent

  Scale tip

  the carpellate scale tip is obtuse (has a blunt point)

  Spike on stalk

  NA

  Spike orientation

  the spikes are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis

  Spikes per stem

  1

  Stigma branching

  the stigmas have two branches

  Top spike

  the uppermost spike contains both staminate and carpellate flowers, with the carpellate flowers located below, or intermixed with, the staminate flowers

• Fruits or seeds

  Achene dimples

  the achene has no folds or dimples

  Style persistence

  the style falls off the mature achenes

• Growth form

  Rhizomes

  there are no rhizomes, or the rhizomes are very short

• Leaves

  Leaf arrangement

  the leaves are mostly produced higher up on the plant

  Leaf blade cross-section

  The leaf blade is folded lengthwise, with one prominent midvien

  Leaf blade texture

  the leaf blade is smooth and hairless, or rough and sandpapery

  Leaf bumps

  the upper surface of the leaf blade does not have papillae

  Leaf sheath bumps

  there are no papillae at the top edge of the leaf sheath

  Leaf sheath color

  the leaf sheath is tinted pink, red or purple

  Leaf sheath dots

  there are no dots on the leaf sheathes

  Leaf sheath folds

  there are no corrugations on the leaf sheath

  Leaf sheath texture

  the leaf sheath feels smooth, and has no hairs

  Lowest bract sheath

  NA

  Lowest leaf sheath texture

  the leaf sheath feels smooth (it may have soft hairs)

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  New Hampshire

  Specific habitat

  • alpine or subalpine zones
  • mountain summits and plateaus
  • talus or rocky slopes

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Plant height

  10–30 cm

  Relative stem height

  the main stem is taller than the leaves

  Spike internode length

  0 mm

  Stem cross-section

  the main stem is roughly triangular in cross-section

  Stem spacing

  the stems grow close together in compact clusters or tufts

Wetland status

Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FAC)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae