Carex des bourbiers

Culms usually aphyllopodic, without dead leaf remains at base, 20–60 cm. Leaf blades 1–2.5 mm wide, margins involute, scabrid. Inflorescences: proximal bracts 2–6 cm, shorter than inflorescences; lateral spikes sometimes androgynous, 6–20 × 4–8 mm, with 8–30 perigynia; terminal spikes 7–35 × 1.5–2.5(–3) mm. Pistillate scales ovate to ovate-circular, 3–5.5 × 2–3.4 mm, wider and as long as or slightly longer than perigynia, apex obtuse to subacute, sometimes mucronate. Staminate scales obovate, 3–4.5 × 1.4–1.6 mm, apex obtuse, sometimes mucronate. Anthers 2–3 mm. Perigynia 2.5–4 × 1.8–2.6 mm, apex rounded; beak 0.1–0.5 mm.

Fruiting summer. Sphagnum bogs, wet meadows, shores; 0–2000 m; Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr., N.W.T., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Yukon; Alaska, Calif., Conn., Del., Ind., Iowa, Maine, Mass., Mich., Minn., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.Dak., Ohio, Oreg., Pa., Utah, Vt., Wash., Wis.; Eurasia.