Carex castanea Elliott, Sketch Bot. S. Carolina 2: 546. 1824, not Wahlenberg 1803

Plants cespitose; rhizomes short. Culms trigonous in cross section, 25–75 cm, scabrous distally. Leaves: basal sheaths reddish purple; ligules wider than long; blades dark green, flat to W-shaped, widest leaves 1.5–4.5 mm wide, glabrous. Inflorescences 1.7–10(–15.5) cm; proximal bract 7–24 cm, much exceeding inflorescence; proximal 1–3 spikes pistillate erect, ca. 3–20-flowered, globose or short-ovoid; terminal 1(–2) spikes staminate. Pistillate scales ovate, 2.8–4.2 × 2–2.6 mm, shorter than perigynia, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute, awnless. Perigynia ascending to spreading, the proximal reflexed, often green or straw colored, strongly 7–11-veined, veins running into beak, narrowly ovate, 5.6–8.8 × 1.6–2.7 mm, apex tapered; beak 1.4–3(–4.5) mm, bidentulate, smooth, teeth straight, 0.3–1 mm. Stigmas 3. Achenes brown, symmetric, not indented, trigonous, smooth.

Fruiting Apr–May. Acidic soil in swamp forests and forest openings, open seeps, sandy and peaty pond shores, uncommon and local; 0–200 m; Ala., Fla., Ga., N.C., S. C.