星穗薹草 xing sui tai cao

Carex stellulata Goodenough var. omiana (Franchet & Savatier) Kükenthal.

Rhizome short. Culms tufted, 20-50 cm tall, obtusely trigonous, scabrous above, clothed at base with pale brown sheaths. Leaves shorter than culm, blades linear, 2-2.5 mm wide, flat, rarely plicate, slightly stiff. Involucral bracts glumelike. Spicate inflorescence ca. 2 cm; spikes 3 or 4, gynaecandrous, globose, terminal spike with a slightly longer male portion than in those of lateral ones. Female glumes ferruginous, ovate or broadly ovate, 3.5-4 × ca. 1.8 mm, green 1-veined at middle, margins white hyaline, apex acute. Utricles greenish brown or yellow-ferruginous, longer than glume, ovate-lanceolate, strongly patent to somewhat deflexed, 4.5-5 mm, submembranous, many veined abaxially, few veined adaxially, base rounded, spongy, margins slightly thickened, apex abruptly contracted into a smooth or scabrous long beak, orifice 2-toothed. Nutlets somewhat tightly enveloped, ovate-elliptic, biconvex, base shortly stipitate, apex rounded; style base slightly thickened; stigmas 2. Fl. and fr. Apr.

Wet places. Liaoning [Japan].