Northeast Wetland Flora
Field Office Guide to Plant Species
Carex albolutescens Schweinitz
- Family: Sedge (Cyperaceae)
- Flowering: May-August
- Field Marks: The distinguishing characteristics of this sedge are the interrupted cluster of ovoid spikes, the very narrow perigynia about 1/12 inch wide, and the female scales with pointed tips.
- Habitat: Wet woods, swamps, bogs, sometimes in brackish water.
- Habit: Perennial herb from thickened rootstocks.
- Stems: Tufted, upright, unbranched, rough only below the spikes, triangular, up to 3 1/2 feet tall.
- Leaves: Elongated, flat, smooth, pale green, up to 1/6 inch wide.
- Flowers: Borne in spikelets, the spikelets crowded into somewhat interrupted ovoid spikes, up to 1/2 inch long, the male flowers at the base of the female flowers in the same spike; female scales ovate, pointed at the tip, about as long as the perigynia but narrower.
- Sepals: 0.
- Petals: 0.
- Stamens: 3.
- Pistils: Borne in perigynia, the perigynia obovate to nearly spherical, appressed, pale brown to greenish, nerved on both faces, up to 1/5 inch long, about 1/12 inch wide, abruptly narrowed to a short beak; stigmas 2.
- Fruits: Achenes lenticular, ellipsoid, smooth.
- Notes: The achenes are eaten by waterfowl.
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