Carex caroliniana Buckley, Amer. J. Sci. Arts 45: 173. 1843, not Schweinitz 1824

Plants densely cespitose. Culms reclining or drooping, 19–51 cm × 0.2–0.7 mm. Leaves: basal sheaths purple; nonbasal sheaths with traces of purple, 7–40 mm; blades erect, ascending, or decumbent, green, 17–45 cm × (2–)3–6(–7) mm. Inflorescences: spikes (3–)4(–5) per culm, scattered; peduncle of lateral pistillate spikes slender, drooping, 8–11 cm, distal peduncle shortest; bracts reduced, 0.6–1.5 cm. Pistillate spikes the proximal basal, 7–12 × 4–6 mm. Staminate spike 1, linear, long-pedunculate, 0.7–2 × 2–4 mm. Pistillate scales keeled, 2.5–3.7 × 1.5–2 mm, midribs green, margins hyaline, purple outward, apex aristate. Staminate scales obtuse, 3–5 × 0.8–1.1 mm, midribs green, margins hyaline and purple. Anthers 3–3.2 mm. Perigynia 2–6 per spike, overlapping, finely veined, orbicular, 2.8–3.2 × 1.8–2.1 mm; beak tapering. Achenes orbicular, 1.8–2 × 1.8–2 mm, sides slightly concave at maturity, tightly fitting in perigynia. Style slightly bent from achene. 2n = 60.

Fruiting spring. Rich, moist, deciduous or mixed deciduous-evergreen forests, often around steep seepage slopes or along small streams, mountain gorges; 100–800 m; Ala., Ga., Ky., N.C., S.C., Tenn.