Tufted Sedge

Carex acuta L, Sp. PI. 978. 1753
Carex nigra verna vulgaris L. Fl. Lapp. 257. 1737.
Carex spicis masculis pluribus 8 Carex nigra verna vulgaris L. Fl. Suec. 280. 1745.
Carex acuta var. nigra L. Sp. PI. 978. 1753. (The type variety.)
Carex diversicolor Crantz, Inst. 1: 405. 1766. (Based on C. acuta L.)
Carex nigra Reichard, Fl. MoenoFranc. 2: 96. 1778. (Based on C. acuta var. nigra L.) Not C.
nigra All. 1785. Carex fusca All. Fl. Pedem. 2: 269. 1785. (Type from Switzerland; as to identity sees Gaudin,
Agrost. Helv. 2: 190-191.) Carex alpina Honck. Syn. 1: 374. 1792. (Type from Germany.) Not C. alpina Schrank, 1789. "Carex caespitosa L." Gooden. Trans. Linn. Soc. 2: 195. pi. 21, f. 8. 1794. (Plant from Great
Britain.) Carex ambigua Moench, Meth. 325. 1794. (Type from west central Germany.) Not C. ambigua
Link, 1799. Carex polyandra Schkuhr, Riedgr. 59. pi. Dd, f. 90. 1801. (Type from Germany.) Carex aquatilis var. C. nardifolia Wahl. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Nya Handl. 24: 165, in part. 1803. Carex acuta (var.) Sw. Sv. Bot. pi. 408 (/. B). 1808. (Plant from Sweden
" Carex saxatilis L." Schultes, Oesterr. Fl. ed. 2. 1: 146. 1814. (Plant from Austria.)
Carex Monchiana Wender. Schr. Nat. Ges. Marburg 1 : 130. 1823. Based on i . ambigua Moench.)
Carex angustifolia Smith, Engl. Fl. 4! 127. 1828. (Type from Angusshire, Scotland
Carex caespilosa var. curvata Fleischer, Riedgr. Wurtemb. 15. 1832. (Type from Wurtemb
Carex caespilosa var. recta Fleischer, Riedgr. Wurtemb. 15. 1832. (Type from Wurtemb
Carex slolonijera Hoppe, in Sturm, Deuts. Fl. 69: pi. 6. 1835. (Type from the Alps I Not C.
stolonifera Ehrh. 1791. Carex caespilosa var. alpina Gaudin, Syn. Fl. Helv. 782. 1836. (Type from Switzerland.) Carex Goodenowii Gay, Ann. Sci. Nat. II. 11: 191. 1839. (Based on "C. caespilosa L." Gooden.) Carex caespilosa var. polymorpha Laest. Nova Acta Soc. Sci. Upsal. 11: 284. 1839. (Type from
Lapland.) Osculisa acuta Raf. Good Book 27. 1840. (Based on Carex acuta L.) Vignea caespilosa var. polygama Peterm. Fl. Bienitz 16. 1841. (Type from Germany.) Carex vulgaris Fries, Mant. 153. 1842. (Type from Lapland.) Carex vulgaris var. lornala Fries, Mant. 154. 1842. (Type from Scandinavia.) Carex vulgaris var. juncea Fries, Mant. 154. 1842. (Type from Scandinavia.) Carex Gibsoni Bab. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11: 168. pi. 5. 1843. (Type from Yorkshire. England.) Carex turfosa Fries, Bot. Notiser 1843: 104. 1843. (Type from Sweden.)
Carex vulgaris subsp. juncella Fries, Bot. Notiser 1843: 105. 1843. (Type from Scandinavia.) Carex Goodenovii var. polygama Peterm. Flora 27: 334. 1844. (Based on Vignea caespilosa var.
polygama Peterm.) Carex intricala Tineo; Guss. Fl. Sic. Syn. 2 : 574. 1844. (Type from .Sicily.) Carex vulgaris var. zonata F. Nyl. Spic. PI. Fenn. 2: 19. 1844. (Type from Finland. Carex vulgaris var. androgyna Peterm. Anal. Pfl. 500. 1846. (Type from Germany.) Carex vulgaris var. tenuis Peterm. Anal. Pfl. 500. 1846. (Type from Germany.) Carex vulgaris var. ramosa Peterm. Anal. Pfl. 5Q0. 1846. (Type from Germany.) Carex vulgaris var. atra Peterm. Anal. Pfl. 500. 1846. (Type from Germany.) Carex vulgaris var. polygama Peterm. Anal. Pfl. 500. 1846. (Based, by inference, on Vignea
caespitosa var. polygama Peterm.) Carex vulgaris var. chlorostachya Reichenb. Ic. Fl. Germ. 8: 13. pi. 226, f. 579. 1846. (Type from
central Europe.) Carex vulgaris f. polygama Reichenb. Ic. Fl. Germ. 8: 13. pi. 227, f. 580b. 1846. (Type from
central Europe.) Carex vulgaris f. basigyna Reichenb. Ic. Fl. Germ. 8: 13. pi. 227, f. 580c. 1846. (Type from central
Europe.) Carex acuta var. minor Neilr. Fl. Wien. 71. 1846. (Based on C. acuta var. nigra L.) Carex vulgaris var. humilior Maly, Enum. 34. 1848. (Based on C. stolonifera Hoppe.) Carex vulgaris var. Bructeri G. Meyer, Fl. Hanov. Exc. 598. 1849. (Type from Hanover, Germany. Carex melaena Wimmer, Uebers. Arb. Schles. Ges. 1849: 79? 1850. (Type from Ohlau, Germany.) Carex chlorocarpa Wimmer, Uebers. Arb. Schles. Ges. 1849: 79? 1850. (Type from Breslau, Germany.) Carex vulgaris var. elalior O. F. Lang, Linnaea 24: 556. 1851. (Type European, but not definitely
designated.) Carex vulgaris var. juncella Hartm. Skand. Fl. ed. 6. 297. 1854. (Based, by inference, on C. vulgaris subsp. juncella Fries.) Carex caespitosa var. fuh ginosa Doll, Fl. Bad. 260. 1856. (Type from Germany.) Carex vulgaris var. full ginosa A. Br.; Doll, Fl. Bad. 261. 1856. (Type from Germany.) Carex juncella Th. Fries, Bot. Notiser 1857: 207. 1857. (Based on C. vulgaris subsp. juncella
Fries.) Carex vulgaris var. longepedunculata Blytt, Norges Fl. 213. 1861. (Type from Norway.) Carex vulgaris var. rigida Blytt, Norges Fl. 213. 1861. (Type from Norway.) Carex vulgaris var. atra Blytt, Norges Fl. 213. 1861. (Type from Norway.) Carex vulgaris var. anomala Blvtt. Norges Fl. 213. 1861. (Type from Norway.) Carex intermedia Miegev. Bull. Soc. Bot. Fr. 10: 93. 1863. (Type from France.) Not C. intermedia Gooden. 1794. Carex Goodenoughii Asch. Fl. Brand. 1 : 776. 1864. (Change of spelling for C. Goodenowii Gay.) Carex Goodenoughii var. lornala "Fries" Asch. Fl. Brand. 1: 777. 1864. (Based, by inference, on
C. vulgaris var. lornala Fries.) Carex Goodenoughii var. juncella " Fries " Asch. Fl. Brand. 1 : 777. 1864. (Based, by inference, on
C. vulgaris subsp. juncella Fries.) Carex Goodenoughii var. juncella f. chlorostachya "Reichenb." Asch. Fl. Brand. 1: 777. 1864.
(Based, by inference, on C. vulgaris var. chlorostachya Reichenb.) Carex Goodenoughii var. turfosa Asch. Fl. Brand. 1 : 777. 1864. (Based on C. turfosa Fries.) Carex Goodenoughii var. stolonifera Asch. Fl. Brand. 1 : 777. 1864. (Based on C. stolonifera Hoppe.) Vignanlha vulgaris Schur, Enum. PI. Transsilv. 706. 1866. (Based on Carex vulgaris Fries.) Vignantha vulgaris var. chlorocarpa Schur, Enum. PI. Transsilv. 706. 1866. (Based on Carex
chlorocarpa Wimmer.) Vignantha vulgaris var. subfastigiala Schur, Enum. PI. Transsilv. 706, excl. syn. 1866. (Type from
Transsvlvania.) Vignantha vulgaris var. turfosa Schur, Enum. PI. Transsilv. 706. 1866. (Based on Carex turjosa
Fries.) Vignanlha Monchiana Schur, Enum. PI. Transsilv. 706. 1866. (Based on Carex Monchiana
Wimmer.) , .
"Carex limula Fries" A. Grav, Man. ed. 5. 582. 1867. (Plant from Boston, Massachusetts.) Carex acuta var. angustifolia Celak. Prodr. Fl. Bohm. 63. 1867. (Type from Bohemia.) Carex vulgaris var. teres Boott, 111. Carex 168. pi. 559, f. 1, 2. 1867. (Type from Sweden.) Carex vulgaris var. intricata Boott, 111. Carex 169. pi. 561, f. 3. . 1867. (Based on C. intricata Tineo.)
Carex vulgaris var. laxa A. Blytt, Veg. Sognefj. 83. 1869. (Type from Norway.)
Carex vulgaris var. angustifolia A. Blytt, Veg. Sognefj. 83. 1869. (Type from Norway.)
Carex vulgaris var. " atrata Blytt" A. Blytt, Veg. Sognefj. 83. 1869. (Error for C. vulgaris var.
alra Blytt.) Carex vulgaris var. conferta A. Blytt, Veg. Sognefj. 83. 1869. (Type from Norway.) Carex vulgaris var. typica Meinsh. Fl. Ingr. 409. 1878. (Based on C. vulgaris Fries.) Carex vulgaris var. subramosa Meinsh. Fl. Ingr. 409. 1878. (Type from Russia.) Carex vulgaris var. sabulosa Meinsh. Fl. Ingr. 409. 1878. (Type from Russia.) Carex vulgaris var. leucocar pa Meinsh. Fl. Ingr. 410. 1878. (Type from Russia.) Carex vulgaris var. minuta Meinsh. Fl. Ingr. 410. 1878. (Type from Russia.)
Carex acuta var. turfosa " Wimmer " Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 432. 1881. (Type from Lyck, Germany.) Carex acuta var. turfosa f. picta Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 432. 1881. (Type from Lyck, Germany.) Carex acuta var. nigra subvar. vulgaris "Fries" Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 433. 1881. (Based on C.
vulgaris Fries.) Carex acuta var. nigra subvar. vulgaris f. badia Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 434. 1881. (Type from
Germany.) Carex acuta var. nigra subvar. vulgaris f. fuliginosa "A. Br." Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 434. 1881.
(Based on C. vulgaris var. fuliginosa A. Br.) Carex acuta var. nigra subvar. sejuncta Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 434. 1881. (Type from Burgundy.) Carex acuta var. nigra subvar. sejuncta f. grata Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 435. 1881. (Type from
Germany.) Carex acuta var. nigra subvar. sejuncta f. melaena "Wimmer" Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 435. 1881.
(Based on C. melaena Wimmer.) Carex acuta var. nigra subvar. subenervis Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 436. 1881. (Type from Lyck,
Germany.) Carex acuta var. nigra subvar. juncella "Fries" Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 436. 1881. (Based on C.
vulgaris subsp. juncella Fries.) Carex acuta var. nigra subvar. cklorocarpa "Wimmer" Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 436. 1881. (Based
on C. chlorocarpa. Wimmer.) Carex acuta var. nigra subvar. tornata "Fries" Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 436, 1881. (Based on C.
vulgaris var. tornata Fries.) Carex acuta var. oxylepis Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 437. 1881. (Type from Lyck, Germany.) Carex acuta var. oxylepis subvar. diluta Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 437. 1881. (Type from Lyck,
Germany.) Carex acuta var. oxylepis subvar. melanolepis Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 437. 1881. (Type from Lyck,
Germany.) Carex acuta var. oxylepis subvar. stygia Sanio, Bot. Contr. 6: 437. 1881. (Type from Lyck,
Germany.) Carex acuta var. macrocarpa Celak. Prodr. Fl. Bohm. 754. 1881. (Type from Bohemia.) Carex acuta f. pseudosparganioides Celak. Prodr. Fl. Bohm. 754. 1881. (Type from Bohemia.) Carex vulgaris var. tenuis Hartm.; Lange, Haandb, Danske Fl. ed. 4. 132. 1886. (Type from
Denmark.) Carex vulgaris var. slrictiformis L. H. Bailey, Mem. Torrey Club 1 : 74. 1889. (Type from Quebec.) Carex rigida var. Goodenovii L. H. Bailey, Jour. Bot. 28: 172. 1890. (Based on C. Goodenovii Gay.) Carex rigida var. slrictiformis L. H. Bailey, Jour. Bot. 28: 172. 1890. (Based on C. vulgaris var.
strictiformis L. H. Bailey.) Carex rigida var. juncea L. H. Bailey, Jour. Bot. 28: 172. 1890. (Based on C. vulgaris var. juncea
Fries.) Carex rigida var. teres L. H. Bailey, Jour. Bot. 28: 173. 1890. (Based on C. vulgaris var. teres
Boott.) Carex rigida var. turfosa L. H. Bailey, Jour. Bot. 28 : 173. 1890. (Based on C. turfosa Fries.) Carex nigra G. Beck, Fl. Nieder. Oesterr. 136. 1890. (Based on C. acuta var. nigra L. as was C.
nigra Reichard, 1778.) Carex nigra subsp. typica G. Beck, Fl. Nieder-Oesterr. 136. 1890. (The type subspecies.) Carex nigra subsp. typica var. basigyna G. Beck, Fl. Nieder-Oesterr. 136. 1890. (Based on C
vulgaris f. basigyna Reichenb.) Carex nigra subsp. typica var. basigyna f. ramifera G. Beck, Fl. Nieder-Oesterr. 136. 1890. (Type
from Austria.) Carex nigra subsp. typica var. alpicolaG. Beck, Fl. Nieder-Oesterr. 136. 1890. (Type from Austria.) Carex nigra subsp. turfosa G. Beck, Fl. Nieder-Oesterr. 136. 1890. (Based on C. turfosa Fries.) Carex vulgaris var. densicarpa Kneucker; L. Klein, in Seubert, Exc.-fl. Baden, ed. 5. 62. 1891.
(Type from Baden, Germany.) Carex vulgaris var. salinoides Kiikenth. Mitth. Thur. Bot. Ver. II. 5: 17. 1893. (Type from
Oslo, Norway.) Carex Goodenovii f. microlepis Norman, Forh. Vid.-Selsk. Christ. 27 16 : 49. 1893. (Type from
Norway.) Carex vulgaris var. silvatica Russow; E. Lehm. Arch. Nat. Dorpat 11: 162. 1895. (Type from
central Europe.) Carex vulgaris var. androgyna Russow; E. Lehm. Arch. Nat. Dorpat 11: 162. 1895. (Type from
central Europe.) Carex vulgaris var. aquatiliformis Kiikenth. Oesterr. Bot. Zeits. 46: 163. 1896. (Type from
Norway.) Carex vulgaris var. pumila Kiikenth. Allg. Bot. Zeits. 4: 2. 1898 (Type from central Europe.) Carex vulgaris var. elatior subvar. lalifolia. Kiikenth. Allg. Bot. Zeits. 4: 3. 1898. (Type from
central Europe.) Carex vulgaris var. elatior subvar. angustifolia Kukenth. Allg. Bot. Zeits. 4: 3. 1898. (Type from
central Europe.) Carex vulgaris var. elatior subvar. juncella "Fries" Kukenth. Allg. Bot. Zeits. 4 : 3. 1898.
on C. vulgaris subsp. juncella Fries.) Carex vulgaris f. Roussiaei H. Lev.; Lev. & Vaniot, Bull. Acad. G6ogr. Bot. 10: 37. !' ;
from Mayenne, France.) Carex flacca X Goodenoughii Ostenf. in Warming, Bot. Faeroes 82. 1901. (Type from the I
Islands.) Carex vulgaris var. elalior subvar. angustifolia f. subovalis Kneucker, Allg. Bot. Zeits. 7: 56. 1901.
(Type from Baden, Germany.) Carex vulgaris var. communis Meinsh. Acta Hort. Petrop. 18: 334. 1901. (Based on C. vulgaris
Fries.) Carex vulgaris var. leucolepis Meinsh. Acta Hort. Petrop. 18: 334. 1901. (Type from Russia.) Carex Goodenoughii var. elatior Asch. & Graebn. Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 2-: 95. 1902. (Based on C.
caespitosa var. elalior O. F. Lang.) Carex Goodenoughii var. elalior subvar. lornata Asch. & Graebn. Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 2 2 : 95. 1902.
(Based on C. vulgaris var. lornata Fries.) Carex Goodenoughii var. elalior subvar. recta Asch. & Graebn. Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 2 2 : 95. 1902.
(Based on C. caespitosa var. recta Fleischer.) Carex Goodenoughii var. elatior subvar. recta f. silvalica Asch. & Graebn. Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 2": 95.
1902. (Based on C. vulgaris var. silvalica Russow.) Carex Goodenoughii var. curvata Asch. & Graebn. Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 2 2 : 96. 1902. (Based on C.
caespitosa var. curvata Fleischer.) Carex Goodenoughii var. curvata subvar. basigyna Asch. & Graebn. Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 2-: 96. 1902.
(Based on C. vulgaris f. basigyna Reichenb.) Carex Goodenoughii var. curvata subvar. basigyna f. subramosa Asch. & Graebn. Syn. Mitteleur. Fl.
2 2 : 96. 1902. (Based on C. vulgaris var. subramosa Meinsh.) Carex Goodenoughii var. curvata subvar. basigyna f. chloroslachya Asch. & Graebn. Syn. Mitteleur.
Fl. 2-: 96. 1902. (Based on C. vulgaris var. chloroslachya Reichenb.) Carex Goodenoughii var. curvata subvar. basigyna f. melaena Asch. & Graebn. Syn. Mitteleur. Fl.
2-: 96. 1902. (Based on C. melaena Wimmer.) Carex Goodenoughii var. curvata subvar. polygama Asch. & Graebn. Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 2*1 96. 1902.
(Based on C. caespitosa var. polygama Peterm.) Carex Goodenoughii memor. Gibsoni Asch. & Graebn. Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 2-: 97. 1902. (Based on
C. Gibsonii Bab.) Carex Goodenoughii var. juncea Asch. & Graebn. Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 2-: 97. 1902. (Based on C.
vulgaris var. juncea Fries.) Carex Goodenoughii var. pumila Asch. & Graebn. Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 2-: 98. 1902. (Based on C.
vulgaris var. pumila Kukenth.) Carex Goodenoughii var. subrigida Kukenth. ; Brockm.-Jer. Fl. Puschlav 91. 1907. (Type from
Switzerland.) Carex Goodenoughii f. pumila Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 314. 1909. (Based on C.
vulgaris var. pumila Kukenth.) Carex Goodenoughii f. polyandra Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 2 °: 314. 1909. (Based on C.
polyandra Schkuhr.) Carex Goodenoughii f. androgyna Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 2 °: 314. 1909. (Based on C
vulgaris var. androgyna Russow.) Carex Goodenoughii f. basigyna Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 2 °: 314. 1909. (Based on C.
vulgaris f. basigyna Reichenb.) Carex Goodenoughii f. subramosa Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 314. 1909. (Based on C.
vulgaris var. subramosa Meinsh.) Carex Goodenoughii f. subfastigiata Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 314. 1909. (Based on
Vignanlha vulgaris var. subfastigiata Schur.) Carex Goodenoughii f. subsetacea Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4>0 : 314. 1909. (Type from
Silesia.) Carex Goodenoughii f. badia "Sanio" Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4-°: 314. 1909. (Based on
C. acuta var. nigra subvar. vulgaris f . badia Sanio.) Carex Goodenoughii f. fuliginosa Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4-°: 315. 1909. (Based on C.
caespitosa var. fuliginosa Doll.) Carex Goodenoughii f. Roussioei "H. Lev" Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 2 °: 315. 1909.
(Based on C. vulgaris f. Roussiaei H. Lev.) Carex Goodenoughii f. chloroslachya "Reichenb." Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 315. 1909.
(Based on C. vulgaris var. chloroslachya Reichenb.) Carex Goodenoughii f. leucolepis "Meinsh." Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4-°: 315. 1909.
(Based on C. vulgaris var. leucolepis Meinsh.) Carex Goodenoughii f. oxylepis Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4-°: 315. 1909. (Based on C.
acuta var. oxylepis Sanio.) Carex Goodenoughii f. zonata " Nylander " Kukenth. in Engler. Pflanzenreich 4=°: 315. 1909. (Based
on C. vulgaris var. zonata F. Nyl.) Carex Goodenoughii memor. polygama "Peterm." Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4*>: 315. 1909.
(Based on Vignea caespitosa var. polygama Peterm.) Carex Goodenoughii var. tornata "Fries" Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4-°: 316. 1909. (Based
on C. vulgaris var. tornata Fries.) A combination previously made. Carex Goodenoughii var. tornata f. pleiandra Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4-°: 316. 1909.
(Type from Thuringia.) Carex Goodeywughii var. tornata f. densicarpa "Kneucker" Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4-°:
316. 1909. (Based on C. vulgaris var. densicarpa Kneucker.) Carex Goodenonghii var. subcaespitosa Kiikenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 316. 1909. (Type
from Ireland.) Carex Goodenou ghii var. strictiformis " L. H. Bailey" Kiikenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 316.
1909. (Based on C. vulgaris var. strictiformis L. H. Bailey.) Carex Goodenoughii var. recta "Fleischer" Kiikenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 316. 1909. (Based
on C. caespitosa var. recta Fleischer.) Carex Goodenoughii var. recta f. grata "Sanio" Kiikenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 316. 1909.
(Based on Carex acuta var. nigra subvar. sejuncta f. grata Sanio.) Carex Goodenoughii var. recta f. silvatica "Russow" Kiikenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 316.
1909. (Based on C. vulgaris var. silvatica Russow.) Carex Goodenoughii var. recta f. subovalis Kneucker; Kiikenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 317.
1909. (Based on C. vulgaris var. elatior subvar. angustifolia f. subovalts Kneucker.) Carex Goodenoughii var. recta f. aquatiliformis Kiikenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 317. 1909.
(Based on C. vulgaris var. aquatiliformis Kiikenth.) Carex Goodenoughii var. salinoides Kiikenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 317. 1909. (Based on
C. vulgaris var. salinoides Kiikenth.) Carex Goodenoughii var. stenocarpa Kiikenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 317. 1909. (Type from
Scotland.)
Loosely to densely cespitose, the clumps large to small, sending forth long, horizontal, slender but tough, brownish, scaly stolons, the culms erect or somewhat curved, stiff to slender, sharply triangular, papillate, smooth to strongly roughened above, usually strongly exceeding the leaves, but occasionally shorter, brownish-tinged and often fibrillose at base, strongly phyllopodic, the dried-up leaves of the previous year very conspicuous; sterile shoots phyllopodic; leaves of the flowering year with well-developed blades usually 5-8 to a fertile culm, the lower clustered near the base, the blades erect, ascending, spreading, or even recurved, flat or channeled towards base with involute margins, narrow, 5-30 cm. long, usually 1.5-2.5 mm. wide, light-green, thin but firm, sometimes stiff, papillate, roughened towards the apex, usually long-tapering but often short-tapering, the sheaths rounded and smooth dorsally, white-hyaline and often yellowish-brown-tinged, the ligule wider than long; terminal spikes staminate, often with 1 or 2 smaller ones at base, from short-peduncled to long-peduncled, linear, 1.5-4 cm. long, 2-4 mm. wide, the scales oblong-obovate, very obtuse to acutish, brownish or blackish, with lighter midrib and inconspicuous hyaline margins; pistillate spikes 2-4, often staminate above, erect, all sessile, or the lower short-peduncled, contiguous or more or less separate, oblong to linear-oblong, 1-4.5 cm. long, 5 mm. wide, densely flowered except occasionally towards base, containing 20-100 appressed-ascending perigynia in several to many rows; lowest bract leaflet-like, mostly shorter than but frequently more or less strongly exceeding the culm, sheathless, but biauriculate, the upper reduced, strongly dark-auricled; scales ovate or oblong-ovate, obtuse (at least middle and upper), narrower and shorter than the perigynia, black or dark-colored with lighter midrib and inconspicuous hyaline margins; perigynia plano-convex, not turgid, strongly flattened, obovate, ovate, oval, or suborbicular, 2.5-3 mm. long, 2-2.5 mm. wide, green or often darkened at apex, membranaceous, puncticulate, 2-ribbed (the marginal), and lightly several-nerved on both sides, short-stipitate to longstipitate, rounded at base and apex, minutely apiculate-beaked, the beak 0.1-0.3 mm. long, entire or very nearly so, ciliolate at tip; achenes lenticular, suborbicular, 1.5 mm. long, nearly as wide, broadly substipitate, rather loosely enveloped in lower half of perigynium-body, short-apiculate, obscurely jointed with the straight slender style somewhat enlarged at base ; stigmas 2, slender.
Type locality: "Habitat in Europa ubique in siccioribus."
Distribution: Wet meadows near the coast, Greenland to Rhode Island; erroneously recorded from Pennsylvania and various parts of western North America; widely distributed in western Europe; doubtfully recorded from northern Asia; reported from South America, but this is undoubtedly some allied species. (Specimens examined from Greenland, Labrador. Newfoundland, St. Pierre, Miquelon, Quebec, including Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island.