Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains
62. Cyperaceae, the Sedge Family
2. Carex L. -- Sedge41. Carex prairea Dewey
Tufted, forming dense clumps from short rootstocks; culms sharply trigonous, 5-10 dm long, somewhat exceeding the leaves. Leaves 2-3 mm wide; sheaths hyaline ventrally, copper-colored at least at the mouth, prolonged 2-3 mm beyond the base of the blade. Spikes bisexual, androgynous, ovoid, 4-7 mm long, the lower ones usually separate, in oblong to linear-oblong heads 3-8 cm long; bracts much reduced, occasionally exceeding the spike; pistillate scales reddish-brown, acuminate, as long as and mostly concealing the perigynia. Perigynia brown, dull, plano-convex, lanceolate-ovoid, (2)2.4-3 mm long, 1/2 as wide, few-nerved at the base ventrally, truncate at the base, tapering to a serrulate, obliquely cut beak which is ca. 1/2 the total length of the perigynium; achenes lenticular, 1-1.2 mm long; stigmas 2. Jun--Jul. Springs, fens, fresh wet meadows and boggy places; scattered from e and c ND to c and w NE; (N.S. to B.C., s to NJ, OH, IA and NE). C. prarisa Dewey.
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