杭州薹草 hang zhou tai cao

Rhizome short. Culms densely tufted, 30-60 cm, trigonous, glabrous. Leaves longer than culms, flat or with involute margins, 2.5-4 mm wide, glabrous; basal leaf sheaths smooth. Involucral bracts linear, shorter than inflorescence, with sheaths 1.5-2.5 cm. Inflorescence subracemose, terminal, oblong-cylindric, 3-8 × 1-1.7 cm, terminating in a male spike 4-4.5 cm; lowermost peduncle to 8 cm; lateral secondary inflorescences each with a terminal male clavate spike 1.5-2 cm. Spikes patent, oblong; lateral androgynous spikes each with a solitary female flower and apically with 4-6 male flowers; male glumes pale yellow or pale brown, oblong, ca. 8 mm, membranous, apex obtuse; female glumes green, broadly ovate, ca. 8.5 mm, subleathery, with 1 midrib prolonged into awn ca. 3 mm, apex acute. Utricles pale yellow-brown when mature, patent, ± equaling glumes, obovoid, obtusely trigonous, 6.5-7 mm, membranous, smooth, with 2 raised lateral veins and several fine veins abaxially, nerveless and paler adaxially, base cuneate, apex contracted into a geniculate beak ca. 2 mm, orifice 2-toothed. Nutlet castaneous, ellipsoid to obovoid, trigonous with concave faces, 3.5-4 mm, base subsessile, apex retuse; style base thickened, persistent; stigmas 3; vestigial rachilla ca. 2 mm. Fl. and fr. Apr-May.

● On rocks in forests; below 100 m. Zhejiang (Hangzhou).

This is a peculiar species in Carex. Its affinity is uncertain and needs further study.