Carex sect. Hirtae in Flora of China @ efloras.org

15. Carex sect. Hirtae Tuckerman ex Kükenthal in Engler, Pflanzenr. 38(IV. 20): 742. 1909.

糙果薹草组 cao guo tai cao zu

Rhizome sometimes stoloniferous. Involucral bracts leaflike or lowest leaflike and upper setiform. Spikes unisexual and bisexual, upper spikes rather congregated, sessile, lowest spike rather remote, ± pedunculate; male spikes usually 2-6; female spikes 2-7, densely many flowered, sometimes with male flowers at upper part. Female glumes mucronate or aristate at apex. Utricles membranous, white hispidulous, with short beak, orifice emarginate. Style base not thickened; stigmas 3.

About 30 species: circumboreal in Asia, Europe, and North America, also in S Asia; three species (one endemic) in China.

Some authors (e.g., Reznicek & Catling, Fl. N. Amer. 23: 491. 2002) include Carex sect. Hirtae in C. sect. Paludosae.

1 Rhizome short and thick; male spike 1, terminal, lateral spike female or sometimes with few male flowers at top; utricles broadly obovate or obovate, 2-2.5 mm, shortly 2-toothed at beak orifice. 78 C. inanis

+ Rhizome with slender stolons; male spikes 1-4, inserted at top, remaining spikes bisexual and unisexual, androgynous and male or androgynous and female; utricles 2.5-3 mm, truncate and slightly emarginate at apex (2)

2 (1) Spikes slightly laxly many flowered, male spikes 1-4, inserted at top, remaining spikes androgynous (female in var. schlagintweitiana); female glumes ovate, ca. 3 mm, mucronate at apex; utricles obovate, laxly hispidulous; nutlets obovate, ca. 1 mm. 79 C. setigera

+ Spikes rather densely many flowered, male spikes 2 or 3, sometimes with few female flowers at base, remaining spikes female, rarely androgynous; female glumes lanceolate, 6-8 mm, aristate at apex, arista 2-4 mm; utricles elliptic or broadly elliptic, densely white hispidulous; nutlets orbicular-ovate or orbicular, ca. 2 mm. 80 C. lancisquamata

Lower Taxa