台湾薹草 tai wan tai cao

Carex asperinervis T. Koyama; C. kotoensis Hayata; C. subteinogyna Ohwi.

Rhizome short, without stolons. Culms densely tufted, 40-60 cm tall, triquetrous, scabrous on upper part of angles, clothed with dark brown sheaths at base, rudimentary sheaths usually disintegrating into fibers. Leaves basal, much shorter than culm, blades 2-3 mm wide, flat, ± stiff, scabrous on upper surface, rather shortly sheathed. Involucral bracts shorter than spike, lower ones shortly leaflike, upper ones setaceous, sheathed, lower sheaths slightly long. Spikes 5-8, 1-3 in an involucral bract sheath, upper spikes contiguous, lower spikes rather spaced, androgynous, narrowly lanceolate, 10-15 mm, male part shorter than female part, female part somewhat laxly flowered; peduncles mostly long and slender, upper peduncles rather short. Female glumes yellow-brown, narrowly oblong, costate, margins white hyaline, apex acute or obtuse, muticous. Utricles brown, suberect, equaling or slightly shorter than glume, elliptic, compressed trigonous, ca. 4 mm, membranous, thinly several veined, base abruptly contracted into a short stipe, margins hispidulous, apex gradually narrowed to a medium-sized beak, orifice 2-toothed. Nutlets tightly enveloped, elliptic, compressed biconvex, ca. 2 mm; style slightly short, base thickened; stigmas 2, rather long, persistent.

● Forests, wet places on mountain slopes; 1800-2000 m. Taiwan.