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Key to Carex, Key F: Subkey in Carex

Cyperaceae

Carex

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1 Apex of perigynium beak terminated by 2 teeth, mostly > 0.5 mm long.
  2 Perigynia > 4× as long as wide (8-15 × 1-3 mm).
    3 Apical teeth of perigynium beak reflexed; achene elongate; pistillate scale with 1-veined center
  2 Perigynia < 4× as long as wide.
      4 Perigynia > (9-) 10 mm long.
        5 Sheath, at least the proximal sheath fronts, densely tomentose at mouth; apical teeth of perigynium beak often > 1 mm long
        5 Sheath glabrous; apical teeth of perigynium beak not more than 1 mm.
          6 Perigynia 7-11-, 5-12-, or 12-25-veined
          6 Perigynia 12-34-veined.
             7 Basal and proximal leaf sheath reddish or purplish
             7 Basal and proximal leaf sheath yellowish to brown, without trace of red or purple
      4 Perigynia < 10 mm long.
               8 At least proximal pistillate scale with long, rough awn.
                 9 Perigynia with 2 strong marginal veins, otherwise veinless or veined only proximally; leaves not septate-nodulose.
                 9 Perigynia with 5+ strong veins extending length of bodies; leaves septate-nodulose.
                   10 Perigynium beak with apical teeth (0.4-) 0.6-3 mm long, often > 1 mm long
                   10 Perigynium beak with apical teeth < 1 mm long.
                     11 Perigynium body obovoid, widest distally; proximal bract > 3× as long as the inflorescence
                     11 Perigynium body ovoid or lanceoloid or ellipsoid, widest at middle or proximally; proximal bract usually < 2× as long as the inflorescence.
                       12 Perigynium beak 0.9-1.7 mm long; mature perigynia dull
                       12 Perigynium beak 0.2-6 mm long; mature perigynia somewhat glossy
               8 All pistillate scale obtuse to acuminate or cuspidate.
                          13 Culm with some red or purple at base.
                            14 All perigynia erect or ascending; leaves not septate-nodulose
                            14 At least proximal perigynia in each spike spreading or reflexed; leaves sparsely septate-nodulose
                          13 Culm brown or black at base, without trace of red or purple.
                              15 Pistillate scale with 5-7-veined center
                              15 Pistillate scale with 1-3-veined center.
                                16 Leaves not septate-nodulose
                                16 Leaves at least sparingly septate-nodulose
1 Apex of perigynium beak entire, emarginate, or with teeth mostly < 0.5 mm long.
                                  17 Leaf blade variously hairy.
                                    18 Plant brown or black at base
                                    18 Plant with at least some red or purple at base
                                  17 Leaf blade glabrous.
                                       19 Bract without blade.
                                         20 Leaves < 1 mm wide
                                         20 Leaves much wider, often over 10 mm wide
                                       19 Bract, at least the proximal, with distinct blade.
                                           21 Young leaves V-shaped or rounded in cross section, adaxial surface without 2 marginal veins more prominent than midvein or other veins.
                                             22 Perigynium beak with 2 distinct terminal teeth, usually > 0.2 mm long.
                                               23 At least proximal pistillate scale awned, awn at least 1/2 as long as body; leaves conspicuously septate-nodulose.
                                                 24 Base of culm strongly red or purple; leaves 2-4 mm wide
                                                 24 Base of culm brown, without or with only trace of red or purple; leaves 4-15 mm wide.
                                                    25 Distal pistillate scale acute, acuminate, or short-awned, awn less than 1/2 length of body
                                                    25 Distal pistillate scale with awn at least about as long as body
                                               23 Pistillate scale obtuse to acuminate, sometimes very shortly awned; leaves not or only weakly septate-nodulose.
                                                      26 Plants with long-creeping rhizome; leaves usually not septate-nodulose
                                                      26 Plants with short-ascending rhizome; leaves at least sparingly septate-nodulose.
                                                        27 Proximal perigynia in each spike ascending or spreading-ascending
                                                        27 Proximal perigynia in each spike spreading or reflexed
                                             22 Perigynium beak entire, emarginate, or with 2 apical teeth < 0.2 mm long.
                                                          28 Perigynia rounded at base, sides proximally distinctly convex.
                                                            29 Perigynia with veins slightly prominent
                                                            29 Perigynia with veins slightly impressed
                                                          28 Perigynia tapering at base, sides straight or only slightly convex proximally.
                                                              30 Perigynia rounded at apex, beakless or with beak < 0.3 mm long.
                                                                 31 Widest leaf blade < 5 mm wide; plants usually not cespitose
                                                                 31 Widest leaf blade usually > 5 mm wide; plants usually cespitose
                                                              30 Perigynia tapering to beak at least > (0.3-) 0.5 mm long.
                                                                   32 Proximal perigynia in each spike spreading at right angles or reflexed at maturity; leaves and sheath sparsely septate- nodulose
                                                                   32 Proximal perigynia in each spike ascending or spreading-ascending; leaves and sheath not septate-nodulose.
                                                                     33 Plants usually colonial; perigynia and leaves often papillose
                                                                     33 Plants cespitose; perigynia and leaves not papillose
                                           21 Leaf blade M-shaped in cross section when young, adaxial surface with 2 marginal veins more prominent than midvein and other marginal veins, sometimes apparent only on proximal leaves and on proximal part of blade.
                                                                       34 Perigynium beakless or with beak < 0.5 mm long, entire or with 2 apical teeth < 0.1 mm long.
                                                                         35 Widest leaf blade (usually basal) > 10 mm wide.
                                                                           36 Distal pistillate spike strongly pendulous, perigynia > 100 per spike; [exotic]
                                                                           36 Distal pistillate spike erect, perigynia < 30 per spike; [native].
                                                                              37 Perigynia trigonous with rounded angles in cross section
                                                                              37 Perigynia sharply trigonous in cross section
                                                                         35 Widest leaf blade < 10 mm wide.
                                                                                38 Perigynia not prominently veined, veins somewhat impressed
                                                                                38 Perigynia at least slightly prominently veined or veinless except for 2 marginal veins.
                                                                                  39 Perigynia rounded at base, sides proximally convex
                                                                                  39 Perigynia tapering at base, sides proximally straight, concave or slightly convex.
                                                                                    40 Perigynia transversely wrinkled; leaf sheath sparsely septate-nodulose
                                                                                    40 Perigynia not transversely wrinkled; leaf sheath not septate-nodulose.
                                                                                      41 Perigynia sharply trigonous in cross section
                                                                                      41 Perigynia terete or with rounded angles in cross section.
                                                                                        42 Perigynia with 2 marginal veins and not more than 10 veins on faces
                                                                                        42 Perigynia with more than 12 veins.
                                                                                           43 Plants usually colonial, not cespitose; perigynia papillose at least faintly.
                                                                                           43 Plants usually cespitose; perigynia not papillose.
                                                                       34 Perigynium with distinct beak > 0.5 mm, usually with apical teeth > 0.1 mm long.
                                                                                             44 Perigynia with 2 distinct marginal veins, otherwise veinless or with very weak veins proximally.
                                                                                               45 Perigynium beak entire, emarginate, or with apical teeth < 0.1 mm long
                                                                                               45 Perigynium beak with apical teeth 0.2-1 mm.
                                                                                                 46 Perigynium beak usually < 1 mm long.
                                                                                                 46 Perigynium beak sometimes > 2 mm long
                                                                                             44 Perigynia with more than 2 veins extending most of length of bodies.
                                                                                                   47 Pistillate scale with narrow, indistinct bodies, scarcely enlarged at base
                                                                                                   47 Pistillate scale with wide, flat bodies, sometimes terminating in awn.
                                                                                                     48 Perigynium beak entire or emarginate.
                                                                                                        49 Perigynium with not more than 5 veins extending length of body on abaxial face, veinless or weakly veined on adaxial face
                                                                                                        49 Perigynium with > 8 equally prominent veins on both faces.
                                                                                                          50 Perigynia bluntly angled in cross section
                                                                                                          50 Perigynia sharply angled in cross section
                                                                                                     48 Perigynium beak with 2 distinct teeth at apex, usually > 0.2 mm long.
                                                                                                            51 Pistillate spike, at least the proximal, lax, proximal and middle perigynia separated by internode at least 1/4 their length; leaves and sheath not septate-nodulose
                                                                                                            51 Pistillate spike dense, proximal and middle perigynia separated by internode less than 1/10 their length; proximal leaves and sheath sparingly septate-nodulose.
                                                                                                              52 Pistillate scale, at least proximal, awned, awn at least 1/4 of scale body length.
                                                                                                                53 Distal pistillate scale acuminate or with awn less than 1/2 body length; staminate spike usually 2+
                                                                                                                53 Distal pistillate scale awned, awn usually more than 1/2 body length; staminate spike 1, sometimes with 1 much smaller spike laterally
                                                                                                              52 Pistillate scale obtuse to acute or apiculate, apiculus not more than 1/10 of body length.
                                                                                                                  54 Culm purple-red at base; achene with style persistent
                                                                                                                  54 Culm brown at base, without trace of red or purple; achene with style deciduous