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Key to Carex

Cyperaceae

Carex

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(c) Ward, Scott G
(c) Cressler, Alan M.
(c) Bradley, Keith
(c) Ward, Scott G
1 Spike 1 per culm, all flowers attached to the main stem in a terminal spike
(c) Bradley, Keith
(c) Fleming, Gary P.
(c) Fleming, Gary P.
1 Spikes 2 or more per culm (some flowers in lateral spikes)
(c) Alexander, Cecelia<br> - CC0
(c) Fleming, Gary P.
(c) Wang, Zihao - CC-BY
  2 All flowers staminate
(c) Ward, Scott G
(c) Ward, Scott G
(c) Marcum, Paul
(c) Ward, Scott G
  2 At least some flowers pistillate.
(c) Ward, Scott G
(c) Ward, Scott G
(c) Horn, Jay
(c) Marcum, Paul
    3 Stigmas 2; achenes flat or biconvex in cross-section (lenticular)
(c) Ward, Scott G
(c) Fleming, Gary P.
(c) Gibson, Andrew Lane
(c) Marcum, Paul
    3 Stigmas (2-) 3 (-4); achenes trigonous or terete in cross-section.
(c) Ward, Scott G
(c) Marcum, Paul
(c) Fleming, Gary P.
      4 Body of perigynium glabrous or papillose (if papillose, the papillae shorter than wide).
(c) Fleming, Gary P.
(c) Ward, Scott G - CC-BY
        5 Bracts sheathless or with sheath < 4 mm long (rarely longer, and then the sheath shorter than the diameter of the stem)
(c) Ward, Scott G - CC-BY
(c) Ward, Scott G
        5 Bracts (at least the lower) with sheath > 4 mm long (and longer than the diameter of the stem)