Theodore S. Cochrane

Carex sect. Orthocerates Koch

Plants cespitose or not, short to long rhizomatous. Culms pale brown at base. Leaves: basal sheaths not fibrous; sheath fronts membranous; blades V-shaped in cross section when young, glabrous. Inflorescence 1 spike per culm; bracts absent; spike androgynous. Proximal pistillate scales soon deciduous, less than 10 mm, shorter than perigynium, apex obtuse or subacute. Perigynia at first erect, becoming deflexed, obscurely veined, very obliquely substipitate, lance-subulate to narrowly elongate-oblong, almost round in cross section, base tapered and spongy, apex tapering gradually to beak, glabrous; beak less than 2 mm, orifice truncate. Stigmas 3. Achenes narrowly oblong or narrowly oblong-lanceoloid, trigonous with sides concave proximally, much smaller than bodies of perigynia; style persistent.

Species 5 or 6 (2 in the flora): widespread in arctic, boreal, and alpine regions of North America and Eurasia, w and s South America, c Asia.

Members of Carex sect. Leucoglochin are further characterized by pistillate scales that fall very early.

Lower Taxa

• Carex microglochin Wahlenberg
• Carex microglochin subsp. microglochin
• Carex pauciflora Lightfoot