Carex de Swan

Carex virescens Muhlenberg ex Schkuhr var. swanii Fernald, Rhodora 8: 183. 1906

Culms 15–75 cm, sparsely pilose. Leaves: ligules longer than wide; blades 1.5–3 mm wide, pilose. Inflorescences: lateral spikes 5–15(–19) × 2–4 mm, proximal distant; terminal spike gynecandrous, at least 1/2 flowers pistillate, (5–)11–20 mm. Pistillate scales ovate, 1.3–2.4 × 0.6–1.4 mm, apex acute to acuminate, with awn to 0.5 mm, as long as perigynia. Staminate scales ovate, 2.4–4.1 mm, apex obtuse to acuminate. Anthers 0.7–1.3(–1.6) mm. Perigynia ascending, obscurely 5–13-veined, obovate-circular, trigonous in cross section, 1.7–2.4 × 1–1.5 mm, densely pilose; beak absent. Achenes 1.4–1.8 × 0.8–1.1 mm. 2n = 54.

Fruiting late spring–early summer. Dry to wet-mesic forests, scrub; 0–1000 m; N.B., N.S., Ont., Que.; Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Ga., Ill., Ind., Ky., Maine, Mass., Md., Mich., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., R.I., Tenn., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.