莎薹草 suo tai cao

Carex cyperoides Linnaeus; Schelhammeria capitata Moench, nom. illeg. superfl.

Rhizome short. Culms tufted, 25-40 cm tall, compressed trigonous, smooth. Leaves shorter than culm, blades pale green, linear, 2-4 mm wide, flat, soft. Involucral bracts leaflike, much longer than inflorescence. Inflorescence capitate, orbicular or ovate, 1.5-2 × 1.5-2 cm; spikes 4-15, gynaecandrous, ovate-oblong, 1-1.5 cm. Female glumes pale brown, narrowly lanceolate, 5-7 mm, 1-veined, apex acuminate. Utricles pale green or ferruginous-yellow, much longer than glume, narrowly lanceolate, plano-convex, 7-10 mm, membranous, many veined on both faces, base long stipitate, upper margins narrowly scabrous winged, apex gradually narrowed into a flat, deeply 2-lobed, long beak. Nutlets tightly enveloped, oblong, plano-convex, ca. 1.3 × 0.8 mm, base shortly stipitate, ca. 2 mm; style base slightly thickened; stigmas 2. Fl. and fr. Jul. 2n = 60.

Wet sandy soils, swamps; 400-700 m. Heilongjiang, Jilin, Nei Mongol [Japan, N Korea, Russia (Siberia); Europe].