Lisa A. Standley

Carex sect. Praecoces (H. Christ) Mackenzie

Plants not cespitose, long-rhizomatous. Culms brown at base. Leaves: basal sheaths fibrous; sheath fronts membranous; blades V-shaped in cross section when young, glabrous. Inflorescences racemose, with 2–4 spikes; proximal bracts scalelike to threadlike, sheathless or short-sheathing to 5 mm; lateral spikes pistillate, pedunculate, prophyllate; terminal spike staminate. Proximal pistillate scales with apex obtuse, cuspidate. Perigynia ascending, weakly veined, with 2 distinct marginal veins, stipitate, obovate, rounded-trigonous in cross section, less than 10 mm, base tapering, apex abruptly beaked, pubescent; beak 0.2 mm, minutely bidentate. Stigmas 3. Achenes trigonous, almost as large as bodies of perigynia, apex prolonged to form collar around base of style; style with persistent, enlarged, conic base.

Species 20 (1 in the flora): introduced; Europe, e Asia, Australia.

Lower Taxon

• Carex caryophyllea Latourrette