Carex grisea — inflated narrow-leaved sedge

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Anther length

  2.3–3.3 mm

  Bumps on fruit

  there are no papillae on the perigynium surface

  Length of scale

  the scale is shorter than the perigynium

  Lowest spike length

  5–31 mm

  Lowest spike stalk length

  At least 0 mm

  Lowest spike width

  6.7–11.4 mm

  Perigynium beak

  the perigynium has no beak, or an extremely short beak

  Perigynium beak length

  0–0.2 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 not divided at the tip into two teeth, or the teeth are very tiny

  Perigynium beak teeth length

  0 mm

  Perigynium color

  • brown
  • yellow

  Perigynium cross-section

  the perigynium is relatively round in cross-section

  Perigynium hairs

  the perigynium has no hairs

  Perigynium length

  4.2–5.3 mm

  Perigynium nerve number

  52–64

  Perigynium nerve texture

  the nerves on the perigynium are flat or concave after drying

  Perigynium nerves lower side

  26–32

  Perigynium nerves upper side

  26–32

  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 obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)

  Perigynium width

  1.8–2.6 mm

  Perigynium winged

  the perigynium has no wings

  Pollen- and seed-producing spikes

  some of the spikes produce perigynia

  Pollen-producing spike length

  7–35 mm

  Pollen-producing spike number

  1

  Pollen-producing spike peduncle length

  1.6–51 mm

  Pollen-producing spike width

  1.5–3.1 mm

  Scale awn

  the carpellate scale has an awn on it

  Scale awn texture

  the carpellate scale awn has tiny teeth

  Scale color

  • green
  • white or translucent

  Scale length

  4–8.2 mm

  Scale tip

  • the carpellate scale tip is acuminate (tapered to a narrow point)
  • 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 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

  2.6–3.7 mm

  Achene width

  1.7–2.2 mm

  Style persistence

  the style falls off the mature achenes

• Growth form

  Rhizomes

  • there are long rhizomes present
  • there are no rhizomes, or the rhizomes are very short

• Leaves

  Leaf arrangement

  the leaves are all produced from the base of 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 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 has no pink, red or purple tinting
  • 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 smooth, and has no hairs

  Ligule length

  1.8–11.2 mm

  Lowest bract sheath

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

  Lowest leaf blade width

  3.7–9.1 mm

  Lowest leaf sheath texture

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

  stem leaf blade width

  3.7–9.1 mm

• Place

  Habitat

  • terrestrial
  • wetlands

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  • forests
  • river or stream floodplains

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Plant height

  15–90 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

Not classified

In New England

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key