Carex ivoirin

Culms 7–31 cm. Leaf blades involute, bristlelike, 3–21 cm × 0.2–1 mm. Inflorescences: proximal bract sheaths 2.5–8 mm; pistillate spikes 3–7 × 1.5–6 mm; staminate spikes 3–10 × 0.5–1.5 mm, inconspicuous. Scales: pistillate scales white-hyaline, with green or brown midvein, ovate to ovate-circular, 1–2 × 0.7–1.4 mm, shorter than or equaling perigynia; staminate scales, white-hyaline, with broad hyaline margins, elliptic-oblanceolate, 2.6–4 × 0.7–2 mm, apex obtuse or subacute. Anthers 1.3–1.8 mm. Perigynia light green becoming dark brown and glossy, 1.5–2.2 × 0.7–1.1 mm; beak 0.2–0.4(–0.5) mm. Achenes ellipsoid-obovoid.

Fruiting late spring–mid summer. Usually in conifer or mixed forests, occasionally fens, stable dunes and alvar, on neutral or calcareous substrates; 0–2000 m; Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr., N.W.T., N.S., Ont., Que., Sask., Yukon; Ala., Alaska, Ark., Conn., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., Maine, Mass., Mich., Minn., Mo., Nebr., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., N.Dak., Ohio, Pa., S.C., S.Dak., Tenn., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.; c Mexico.