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• Cyperaceae
• Carex
• Carex Group 3
• Section Glareosae
• Carex mackenziei

Carex mackenziei — Mackenzie's sedge

Facts

Within New England, Mackenzie' s sedge is found only in brackish and salt marshes of Maine. It is loosely clumping and often has long stolons.

Habitat

Brackish or salt marshes and flats, marshes

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Bumps on fruit

  there are no papillae on the perigynium surface

  Distance between perigynia

  10–15 mm

  Inflorescence length

  15–50 mm

  Length of scale

  the scale is nearly as long as, or longer than, the perigynium

  Lowest spike length

  5–15 mm

  Lowest spike stalk length

  0 mm

  Lowest spike width

  4–6 mm

  Perigynium beak

  the perigynium has a beak

  Perigynium beak length

  0.1–0.3 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

  Perigynium beak teeth

  • the perigynium beak is divided at the top into two teeth
  • the perigynium beak is not divided at the tip into two teeth, or the teeth are very tiny

  Perigynium beak teeth length

  At least 0 mm

  Perigynium color

  tan

  Perigynium cross-section

  the perigynium is planoconvex (flat on one surface and rounded on the other) in cross-section

  Perigynium hairs

  the perigynium has no hairs

  Perigynium length

  2.5–3.3 mm

  Perigynium nerve texture

  the nerves on the perigynium are raised, even after drying the perigynium

  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 elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
  • the perigynium body is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)

  Perigynium width

  1.5–2 mm

  Perigynium winged

  the perigynium has no wings

  Pollen- and seed-producing spikes

  some of the spikes produce perigynia

  Pollen-producing spike length

  0 mm

  Pollen-producing spike number

  0

  Pollen-producing spike peduncle length

  0 mm

  Pollen-producing spike width

  0 mm

  Scale awn

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

  Scale awn texture

  NA

  Scale color

  red-brown

  Scale tip

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

  Spike on stalk

  the lowest spike on the plant is not borne on a peduncle

  Spike orientation

  the spikes are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis

  Spikes per stem

  2-15

  Stigma branching

  the stigmas have two branches

  Top spike

  the uppermost spike contains both staminate and carpellate flowers, with the staminate flowers located below the carpellate flowers

• Fruits or seeds

  Achene dimples

  the achene has no folds or dimples

  Achene length

  1.75–2 mm

  Achene width

  1.25–1.5 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 flat or M-shaped, with two prominent side-veins

  Leaf blade length to width ratio

  50–66

  Leaf blade texture

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

  Leaf blade width

  1–3 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
  • the leaf sheath is tinted pink, red or purple

  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 no sheath (or a very short sheath up to four millimeters in length)

  Lowest leaf blade width

  1–3 mm

  Lowest leaf sheath texture

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

• Place

  Habitat

  wetlands

  New England state

  Maine

  Specific habitat

  • brackish or salt marshes and flats
  • marshes

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Plant height

  10–40 cm

  Relative stem height

  • the main stem is equal to or shorter than the leaves
  • 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