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• Dichotomous Key
• Cyperaceae
• Carex
• Carex Group 6
• Section Lupulinae
• Carex grayi

Carex grayi — Gray's sedge

Facts

Gray's sedge stands out from similar taxa with inflated perigynia in that the carpellate spikes are nearly perfectly spherical, and the perigynia radiating equally in all directions. Gray's sedge is typically found in rich or calcareous wetlands.

Habitat

Floodplain (river or stream floodplains), riverine (in rivers or streams), swamps

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Anther length

  2.5–4.8 mm

  Bumps on fruit

  there are no papillae on the perigynium surface

  Inflorescence length

  25–170 mm

  Length of scale

  the scale is shorter than the perigynium

  Lowest spike length

  25–42 mm

  Lowest spike stalk length

  7–35 mm

  Lowest spike width

  26–41 mm

  Perigynium beak

  the perigynium has a beak

  Perigynium beak length

  1.5–3 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 1 mm

  Perigynium color

  green

  Perigynium cross-section

  the perigynium is relatively round in cross-section

  Perigynium hairs

  • the perigynium has no hairs
  • the perigynium is hairy

  Perigynium length

  12.5–20 mm

  Perigynium nerve number

  16–25

  Perigynium nerve texture

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

  Perigynium nerves lower side

  8–12

  Perigynium nerves upper side

  8–12

  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

  4–8 mm

  Perigynium winged

  the perigynium has no wings

  Pollen- and seed-producing spikes

  some of the spikes produce perigynia

  Pollen-producing spike length

  5–65 mm

  Pollen-producing spike number

  1

  Pollen-producing spike peduncle length

  5–60 mm

  Pollen-producing spike width

  1–4 mm

  Scale awn

  • The carpellate scale does not have an awn (it may have a short point)
  • the carpellate scale has an awn on it

  Scale awn texture

  • NA
  • the carpellate scale awn has tiny teeth

  Scale color

  green

  Scale length

  4–11 mm

  Scale tip

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

  Spike on stalk

  the lowest spike on the plant has a peduncle

  Spike orientation

  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 only staminate flowers

• Fruits or seeds

  Achene dimples

  the achene has no folds or dimples

  Achene length

  3.3–4.8 mm

  Achene width

  2.6–3.7 mm

  Style persistence

  the style stays on 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 length to width ratio

  30–31

  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

  Ligule length

  2.5–6 mm

  Lowest bract sheath

  the lowest bract has no sheath (or a very short sheath up to four millimeters in length)

  Lowest leaf blade width

  4–11 mm

  Lowest leaf sheath texture

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

  stem leaf blade width

  4–11 mm

• Place

  Habitat

  wetlands

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Massachusetts
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  • in rivers or streams
  • river or stream floodplains
  • swamps

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Plant height

  25–110 cm

  Relative stem height

  • the main stem is equal to or shorter than the leaves
  • the main stem is taller than the leaves

  Spike internode length

  10–120 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
  • the stems grow singly or a few together (they may form diffuse colonies)

Wetland status

Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae