Carex formosa — handsome sedge

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Bumps on fruit

  there are no papillae on the perigynium surface

  Distance between perigynia

  Up to 1 mm

  Length of scale

  the scale is shorter than the perigynium

  Lowest spike length

  15–25 mm

  Lowest spike stalk length

  Up to 100 mm

  Lowest spike width

  4–6 mm

  Perigynium beak

  the perigynium has a beak

  Perigynium beak length

  Up to 0.5 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

  Perigynium beak teeth

  the perigynium beak is divided at the top into two teeth

  Perigynium beak teeth length

  Up to 0.5 mm

  Perigynium color

  green

  Perigynium cross-section

  the perigynium is trigonous (triangular) in cross-section

  Perigynium hairs

  the perigynium has no hairs

  Perigynium length

  3.5–5 mm

  Perigynium nerve number

  14–24

  Perigynium nerve texture

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

  Perigynium nerves lower side

  7–12

  Perigynium nerves upper side

  7–12

  Perigynium orientation

  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 elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
  • the perigynium body is ovate (egg-shaped)

  Perigynium width

  1.7–2 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 has an awn on it

  Scale awn texture

  the carpellate scale awn does not have teeth (it may or may not have hairs)

  Scale color

  • green
  • red-brown
  • white or translucent

  Scale tip

  the carpellate scale tip is acute (has a sharp point)

  Spike on stalk

  the lowest spike on the plant has a peduncle

  Spike orientation

  • the spikes are angled outwards, or arched over
  • the spikes are bent downwards or droop downwards
  • the spikes are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis

  Spikes per stem

  2-15

  Stigma branching

  the stigmas have three branches

  Top spike

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

• Fruits or seeds

  Achene dimples

  the achene has no folds or dimples

  Achene length

  2–2.5 mm

  Achene width

  1.4–1.5 mm

  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 flat or M-shaped, with two prominent side-veins

  Leaf blade texture

  • the leaf blade is hairy
  • 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 red dots on the translucent tissues of the leaf sheathes

  Leaf sheath folds

  there are no corrugations on the leaf sheath

  Leaf sheath texture

  • the leaf sheath feels rough, or has hairs
  • the leaf sheath feels smooth, and has no hairs

  Lowest bract sheath

  the lowest bract has a sheath longer than four millimeters

  Lowest leaf blade width

  3–7 mm

  Lowest leaf sheath texture

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

  stem leaf blade width

  3–7 mm

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Massachusetts
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  • forests
  • meadows or fields

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Plant height

  30–80 cm

  Relative stem height

  the main stem is taller than the leaves

  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)

In New England

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key