Clustered sedge

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Clustered sedge

Clustered sedge

Morphology

Culm

Tufted. Culm erect, triangular, rough, base pale brown, sides usually grooved.

Leaves

3-7, pale green, flat, to 20 inches long, 1/8 to 1/5 inch wide, shorter than culm.

Sheath

Open, loose, throat thickened, upper side green and white mottled, lower side sometimes red dotted.

Ligule

About as wide as long.

Inflorescence

Elongated head, crowded or sometimes interrupted, 1 to 2 inches long, 1/3 to 1/2 inch wide; bracts subulate, to 1 1/5 inch, sometimes absent; spikes 5-10, ascending to spreading; staminate flowers above pistillate; staminate scales pale brown, narrow, acuminate; pistillate scales clear or pale brown with green midvein, ovate, shorter and narrower than perigynia, tips acute to acuminate, less commonly awned; perigynia 5-15 per spike, pale green to pale brown, ovoid, 1/8 to 1/6 inch long, 1/12 to 1/8 inch wide, beak 2-toothed, serrulate.

Fruit

Achenes, circular to elliptic-circular, ca. 1/12 inch, apiculate; stigmas 2, reddish brown.

Ecology

Habitat

Open woods, meadows; usually on calcareous soils.

Distribution

East 1/3 of Kansas

Additional Notes