Joy Mastrogiuseppe

Plants usually not cespitose, rhizomatous. Culms brown at base. Leaves: basal sheaths fibrous; sheath fronts membranous; blades V-shaped in cross section when young, widest leaves 4–8 mm wide, glabrous. Inflorescences paniculate, with 20+ spikes, ovoid or oblong capitate, occasionally with proximal 1–2 spikes separated, sessile; proximal bracts leaflike or threadlike, sheathless; spikes staminate, pistillate, or androgynous, sessile, without prophylls. Proximal pistillate scales with apex awned. Perigynia ascending or at length spreading, veined on both faces, short-stipitate, narrowly ovate, thickly plano-convex in cross section, base tapering or rounded, with spongy tissue, margins serrulate-winged, apex tapering to beak, glabrous; beak with abaxial suture, margins entire, apex bidentate. Stigmas 3. Achenes rounded-trigonous, smaller than bodies of perigynia; style deciduous.

Species 2 (2 in the flora): North America, e Asia.

Lower Taxa

• Carex kobomugi Ohwi
• Carex macrocephala Willdenow ex Sprengel