Carex canescens

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 2: 974. 1753.

Illustrated
Synonyms: Carex cinerea Pollich Carex curta Goodenough Carex richardii Thuilling
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 23. Treatment on page 318. Mentioned on page 317.

Plants cespitose, in small and medium-sized clumps; rhizomes short. Culms erect, not stiff, 15–90 cm. Leaves: sheaths pale-brown abaxially, inner band thin, hyaline, sometimes slightly red tinged, concave at summit; ligules slightly longer than wide; blades pale green to gray-green flat, 10–20 (–30) cm × (1.5–) 2–4 mm, subequal to shorter than culms, not stiff. Inflorescences 2–15 cm × 5–10 mm; proximal bracts shorter than to exceeding spikes; distal bracts usually scalelike. Spikes 4–8, gynecandrous, proximal ± remote, distal spikes approximate, sometimes flexuous, containing (5–) 10–20 (–30) perigynia suborbicular to oblong, 3–12 × 3–5 mm; terminal spike staminate for less than 1/2 of length, often clavate due to more conspicuous staminate part. Pistillate scales hyaline with green, 3-veined center when young, usually brownish tinged in age, broadly ovate, subequal to, not concealing perigynia, apex obtuse to acutish. Perigynia appressed-ascending, gray-green, becoming yellowish-brown, obscurely many-veined, elliptic-ovate, 1.8–3 × 1.2–1.7 mm, widest near middle, membranous; beak abaxial suture inconspicuous, small marginal teeth. Achenes pale-brown, oblong-obovate, 1.25–1.5 × 1–1.25 mm, dull to slightly glossy. 2n = 56.

Distribution

V23 557-distribution-map.jpg

Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., N.S., N.W.T., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Yukon, Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Colo., Conn., D.C., Del., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Maine, Mass., Md., Mich., Minn., Mont., N.C., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., Nev., Ohio, Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.C., S.Dak., Utah, Va., Vt., Wash., Wis., Wyo., South America, Eurasia, Australia, New Guinea

Discussion

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Culms 15–60 cm; inflorescences 3–5(–7) cm, all but proximal spikes approximate or slightly remote. Carex canescens subsp. canescens
1 Culms 30–90 cm, inflorescences 6–12(–15) cm, all but distalmost spikes distant, proximal 2 spikes 2–5 cm apart. Carex canescens subsp. disjuncta

"shortened" is not a number.No values specified.

... more about "Carex canescens"
0.125 cm1.25 mm <br />0.00125 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
dull +  and slightly glossy +
oblong-obovate +
smaller +
1mm;1.25mm +
beaked +  and beakless +
papillose +  and smooth +
obtuse;acutish +
Heikki Toivonen +
Linnaeus +
truncate +  and rounded +
inconspicuous +
0.01 cm0.1 mm <br />1.0e-4 m <br /> (0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br />) +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
pale green +  and gray-green +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br />) +
v--shaped +
subequal +  and shorter +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
glumaceous +  and foliaceous +
2-ranked +  and arranged +
ascending +  and appressed +
scale-like +  and leaflike +
parallel +  and divergent +
terete +, rolled +  and plicate +
brownish tinged +
subequal +
not stiff +
round +  and trigonous +
15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br /> (90 cm900 mm <br />0.9 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
Alta. +, B.C. +, Man. +, N.B. +, N.S. +, N.W.T. +, Ont. +, P.E.I. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Yukon +, Alaska +, Ariz. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Conn. +, D.C. +, Del. +, Idaho +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Maine +, Mass. +, Md. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Mont. +, N.C. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Mex. +, N.Y. +, Nev. +, Ohio +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.C. +, S.Dak. +, Utah +, Va. +, Vt. +, Wash. +, Wis. +, Wyo. +, South America +, Eurasia +, Australia +  and New Guinea +
open +, pistillate +  and staminate +
hypogynous +  and subtending +
biconvex +  and trigonous +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
red tinged +  and hyaline +
sessile +  and pistillate +
multi-ranked +, 2-ranked +, 3-ranked +  and alternate +
basal +  and cauline +
slightly longer than wide +
angled;rounded +
conspicuous +
with (1-)3-6(-30) bristles and/or scales +
yellowish-brown +  and gray-green +
0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
appressed-ascending +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
2-3(-4)-carpellate +
3 (?) +  and 1 (?) +
sheathless +  and bristlelike +
adventitious +
hyaline with green +
basal +  and proximal +
2-keeled +
cylindric +
Illustrated +
gynecandrous +
1 +  and 3 +
septate +, hollow +  and solid +
compressed +, terete +  and trigonous +
papillate +
deciduous +
2-3(-4)-fid +
Carex cinerea +, Carex curta +  and Carex richardii +
Carex canescens +
Carex sect. Glareosae +
species +
plant +  and cespitose +