Carex rosea Schkuhr ex Willdenow var. texensis Torrey ex L. H. Bailey, Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 1: 57. 1889

Plants without conspicuous rhizomes. Culms 10–30 cm, 0.5–1 mm wide basally, 0.4–0.5 mm wide distally. Leaves: sheaths tight, green, fronts hyaline; ligules less than 2 mm, wider than long; widest leaf blades 1–1.7 mm wide. Inflorescences with 3–8 spikes, 0.6–3 cm × 5–6 mm; proximal internodes 1–2 times as long as proximal spikes; proximal bracts to 1(–3) cm; spikes with 3–10 spreading or reflexed perigynia. Pistillate scales hyaline or pale brown with green midvein, ovate, 1.8–2.4 × 0.8–1.3 mm, body 2/3 to almost length of perigynia, apex acute, acuminate or short-awned. Anthers 1 mm. Perigynia green to pale yellow, faces not veined, 2.6–3.4 × 1–1.3 mm, base of body spongy, thickened, longitudinally striate adaxially, spongy region 0.7–1.1 mm, margins entire, usually serrulate distally; beak 0.7–1.1 mm, apical teeth 0.1–0.3 mm. Stigmas straight or slightly twisted, 0.05 mm wide. Achenes ovate, 1.3–1.5 × 1–1.1 mm.

Fruiting spring. Dry to wet-mesic open forests and fields, often rocky or sandy substrates; 50–300 m; Ala., Ark., Calif., Fla., Ga., Kans., Ky., La., Md., Miss., Mo., Nebr., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va.

Carex texensis is introduced into California, New Jersey, New York and Ohio. Due to confusion with C. retroflexa, C. texensis is probably under-recorded.