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• Carex capillaris

Carex capillaris — hair-like sedge

Facts

Hair-like sedge is divided into two subspecies in New England. One, (Carex capillaris ssp. fuscidula) occurs only in New Hampshire, and is found in alpine habitats; while the other (C. capillaris ssp. capillaris) occurs in Maine and Vermont and is found on wet cliffs and river shore outcrops on calcareous bedrock. Hair-like sedge is listed as threatened in all three states.

Habitat

Alpine or subalpine zones, cliffs, balds, or ledges, shores of rivers or lakes

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Bumps on fruit

  there are no papillae on the perigynium surface

  Length of scale

  the scale is shorter than the perigynium

  Lowest spike length

  5–20 mm

  Lowest spike stalk length

  3–40 mm

  Lowest spike width

  3–4 mm

  Perigynium beak

  the perigynium has a beak

  Perigynium beak length

  0.3–0.6 mm

  Perigynium beak orientation

  the beak of the perigynium is straight, and in line with the perigynium

  Perigynium beak serrations

  • the perigynium beak has no serrations
  • the perigynium beak has tiny serrations along the edges

  Perigynium beak teeth

  the perigynium beak is divided at the top into two teeth

  Perigynium color

  • brown
  • green

  Perigynium cross-section

  the perigynium is trigonous (triangular) in cross-section

  Perigynium hairs

  the perigynium has no hairs

  Perigynium length

  2.3–3.5 mm

  Perigynium nerve number

  2

  Perigynium nerve texture

  NA

  Perigynium nerves lower side

  1

  Perigynium nerves upper side

  1

  Perigynium orientation

  the perigynia are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis or adjacent perigynia

  Perigynium puffy

  the perigynium is inflated (there is space between the perigynium and the achene)

  Perigynium shape

  • the perigynium body is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
  • the perigynium body is ovate (egg-shaped)

  Perigynium width

  0.8–1.2 mm

  Perigynium winged

  the perigynium has no wings

  Pollen- and seed-producing spikes

  some of the spikes produce perigynia

  Pollen-producing spike length

  4–10 mm

  Pollen-producing spike number

  0–1

  Pollen-producing spike peduncle length

  At least 0 mm

  Pollen-producing spike width

  0.7–1.4 mm

  Scale awn

  The carpellate scale does not have an awn (it may have a short point)

  Scale awn texture

  NA

  Scale color

  • brown
  • tan
  • white or translucent

  Scale length

  1.8–2.8 mm

  Scale tip

  the carpellate scale tip is obtuse (has a blunt point)

  Spike on stalk

  the lowest spike on the plant has a peduncle

  Spike orientation

  • the spikes are angled outwards, or arched over
  • the spikes are bent downwards or droop downwards
  • the spikes are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis

  Spikes per stem

  2-15

  Staminate scale tip

  • the staminate scale tip is acute (has a sharp point)
  • the staminate scale tip is obtuse (has a blunt point)

  Stigma branching

  the stigmas have three branches

  Top spike

  the uppermost spike contains only staminate flowers

• Fruits or seeds

  Achene dimples

  the achene has no folds or dimples

  Achene length

  1.2–1.7 mm

  Achene width

  0.7–1 mm

  Style persistence

  the style falls off the mature achenes

• Growth form

  Rhizomes

  there are no rhizomes, or the rhizomes are very short

• Leaves

  Leaf arrangement

  the leaves are all produced from the base of the plant

  Leaf blade cross-section

  • The leaf blade is folded lengthwise, with one prominent midvien
  • the leaf blade is flat or M-shaped, with two prominent side-veins

  Leaf blade length to width ratio

  23–27

  Leaf blade texture

  the leaf blade is smooth and hairless, or rough and sandpapery

  Leaf blade width

  1–2.5 mm

  Leaf bumps

  the upper surface of the leaf blade does not have papillae

  Leaf sheath bumps

  there are no papillae at the top edge of the leaf sheath

  Leaf sheath color

  the leaf sheath has no pink, red or purple tinting

  Leaf sheath dots

  there are no dots on the leaf sheathes

  Leaf sheath folds

  there are no corrugations on the leaf sheath

  Leaf sheath texture

  the leaf sheath feels smooth, and has no hairs

  Lowest bract sheath

  the lowest bract has a sheath longer than four millimeters

  Lowest leaf blade width

  1–2.5 mm

  Lowest leaf sheath texture

  the leaf sheath feels smooth (it may have soft hairs)

• Place

  Habitat

  • terrestrial
  • wetlands

  New England state

  • Maine
  • New Hampshire
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  • alpine or subalpine zones
  • cliffs, balds, or ledges
  • shores of rivers or lakes

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Plant height

  10–60 cm

  Relative stem height

  the main stem is taller than the leaves

  Stem cross-section

  the main stem is roughly triangular in cross-section

  Stem spacing

  the stems grow close together in compact clusters or tufts

Wetland status

Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae