Dense Sedge

Carex densa has been subdivided into as many as four species. Variable characters of the taxon include the compaction of the inflorescence, the shape of the sheath apex, the size and number of veins on the perigynium, the length of the pistillate scale awn, and the development of spongy tissue basal and lateral to the perigynium. The morphologic variation shows no geographic or ecologic pattern and cannot be separated consistently by visual or statistical analyses. The most frequently recognized taxa, C. densa and C. dudleyi, are end-points along a morphologic continuum of spongy tissue development. The perigynium of typical C. densa has well-developed spongy tissue, giving an ovate shape and rounded base. In contrast, the typical C. dudleyi lacks development of spongy tissue, giving a rhombic shape and tapered base. These extremes are connected by a continuous range of intermediate forms that display the same range of variation found in C. vulpinoidea. A single species is here recognized; however, further study may clarify patterns of biological variation within the complex taxon.

Culms to 70 cm × 1.5 mm, scabrous. Leaves: sheath fronts rugose, indistinctly spotted pale brown, apex convex, membranous; ligule emarginate to acute, 0–4 mm, free limb to 0.2 mm; blades 50 cm × 5 mm, shorter than flowering stem. Inflorescences spicate or somewhat capitate, 3–5 cm × 15–25 mm, with 10–15 branches, proximal not distinct; the proximal internode to 0.5 cm; bracts scalelike, the proximal setaceous, conspicuous. Scales hyaline, brown, awn 0.5–2 mm. Perigynia dull yellow-brown turning medium brown, red-brown distally, (3–)5–7-veined abaxially, (0–)3–5-veined adaxially, body elliptic to ovate, 2.8–4 × 1.5–2 mm, base obtuse to rounded, usually with well-developed spongy tissue; beak 1–1.5 mm, 1/3–1/2 length of perigynium. Achenes red-brown, ovate, 1.5–1.7 × 1.5–1.8 mm, glossy.

Calif., Oreg., Wash.

Fruiting Jun.

Open, seasonally moist areas, such as stream banks, springs, seeps, wet grasslands; 0–1500m.

Carex brongniartii Kunth var. densa L. H. Bailey, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 22: 137. 1887; C. breviliguata Mackenzie; C. chrysoleuca T. Holm; C. dudleyi Mackenzie; C. vicaria L. H. Bailey; C. vicaria var. costata L. H. Bailey; C. vulpinoidea Michaux var. vicaria (L. H. Bailey) Kükenthal

Carex densa occurs in the western USA within California, thence northward to Washington and east to Nevada. Habitat include open, seasonally moist areas, including riparian zones, springs, seeps and wet grasslands; moreover, the elevational distribution varies between zero and 1500 meters.

This sedge has scabrous culms that can attain a height of 70 centimeters. The inflorescence can be as large as eight centimeters, with typically more than ten spikelets.

Carex densa L. H. Bailey, Mem. Torrey Club 1: 50. 1889
—"Carex Brongniartii Kunth" Boott, 111. Carex 124, in part. pi. 402. 1862. -Carex dislicha Huds." w*. Boott, in S. Wats Hot. Calif. 2: 230. 1880. "Carex glomerala Thunb." Y Boott, in S. Wats. Bot. Calif. 2: 232. 1880. "Carex paniculata L." W. Boott, in S. Wats. Hot. Calif. 2: 232, in part. 1880. Carex Brongniarlii var. densa L. H. Bailey, Proc. Am. Acad. 22: 137, as to description. 1886.
Type from California.) Carex chrysoleuca Holm, Am. Jour. Sci. IV. 17: 302./. 3, 4. 1904. (Type from Mariposa, California.
Cespitose. the rootstocks short-prolonged, stout, black, fibrillose, the culms aphyllopodic, 3-7 dm. high, sharply triangular, with flat sides, strict and rather stout, 4-6 mm. thick at base, smooth or roughened above, usually exceeding the leaves, brownish at base; leaves with well-developed blades several to a culm, all towards the base, the blades flat, usually 1.5-2.S dm. long, 3-6 mm. wide, roughened on the margins and towards the apex, the sheaths tight, inconspicuously septate-nodulose and green-and-white-mottled dorsally, thin, white-hyaline, and usually cross-rugulose and slightly red-dotted ventrally, convex and prolonged beyond base of blade at mouth, not thickened, the ligule conspicuous, as long as wide; heads oblong or oblong-ovoid, compound, 2-5 cm. long, 1-1.5 cm thick, the clusters closely aggregated, the individual spikes hardly recognizable, the staminate flowers inconspicuous, apical, the perigynia 6-15, appressed-ascending, or sometimes spreading at maturity; lower bracts setaceous-prolonged, usually much shorter than tin head; scales ovate, brownish, with conspicuous 3-nerved green center, cuspidate to acute, about the widtli of but shorter than the perigynia; perigynia plano-convex, slightly convex ventrally, ovate, 3.5-4 5 mm long, 1.5-2 mm. wide, thin-margined to base, the edges slightly elevated, serrulate to middle, substipitate, round-tapering at base, yeUowish-brown-tinged with green margin, strongly severalnerved dorsally and few-nc -rved ventrally. membranaceous, tapering or contracted into a serrulate l>eak one half length to nearly as long as the body, dorsally cleft, strongly
bidentate, the teeth triangular-eubulate, strongly reddish-tinged; ■ > a I nticular, niborbicular, i J-1.7S mm. long, shorttipitate, apiculal ider, straight, enlarged at
itnted with achene; stigmas two, reddish-brown, si odi r, • Ion
lb
Dutbibi no* Drj Nevada*, from Santa Clara
and Maripoea counties, California, northward into Oregon (Specimi Bowing range
• III Cares 124, in pari pi I ngniartit); Brythea 8: 29 I '■'. Jepson, FI. Calif. 1: 214./. 30, g-i; Jepson, Man. Fl. PI. Calif./. 167; Abrams, 111. Fl. Pacif. St./. 697; Am. Jour. Sci. IV. 17: 303./. 3, 4 (as C. chrysoleuca) .

Carex breviligulata Mackenzie, Erythea 8: 92. 1922
Carex vicario var. costata L. H. Bailey, Mem. Torrey Club 1: 49. 1889. (Type from Grant's Pass,
Oregon.) Carex vulpinoidea var. vicaria f. coslata " L. H. Bailey" Kukenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 148.
1909. (Based on C. vicaria var. coslata L. H. Bailey.)
Cespitose, the rootstocks very short-prolonged, stout, black, fibrillose, the culms aphyllopodic, 3-6 dm. high, sharply triangular with flat sides, slender but strict, 2.5-4 mm. thick at base, strongly roughened on the angles, usually noticeably exceeding the leaves, brownish at base; leaves with well-developed blades 4—7 to a culm, on lower fourth, the blades flat or canaliculate at base, usually 1-2 dm. long, 3-4.5 mm. wide, light-green, roughened on the margins and towards the apex, the sheaths tight, inconspicuously septate-nodulose and white and-green-mottled dorsally, white-hyaline, cross-rugulose, and sparingly red-dotted ventrally, not readily breaking, prolonged at mouth beyond base of blade and sometimes yellowishtinged, the ligule very short; head oblong, decompound, 1.5-3.5 cm. long, 8-12 mm. thick, the clusters closely aggregated, the individual spikes hardly recognizable, the staminate flowers apical, forming a short cone, the perigynia 6-15, appressed-ascending, or at maturity spreading; lower bracts setaceous-prolonged, usually not conspicuous, the upper scale-like; scales ovate, acute to cuspidate, light-reddish-brown with 3-nerved green center, about the width of but rather shorter than the perigynia; perigynia thickplano-convex, ovate, slightly convex ventrally and with slightly raised thick edge to base, serrulate from middle, 3.25-3.75 mm. long, 1.5—2 mm. wide, yellowish-brown with green margins, membranaceous, several-nerved dorsally and fewer-nerved ventrally, substipitate, round-tapering at base, abruptly narrowed into a serrulate beak half to two thirds length of the body, dorsally cleft, bidentate, the teeth short, triangular, strongly reddish-tinged; achenes lenticular, ovate-suborbicular, 1.75 mm. long, short-stipitate, apiculate; style slender, straight, enlarged at base, jointed with achene; stigmas two, slender, reddish.
Type locality (of C. vicaria var. coslata, on which C. breviligulata is based): Grant's Pass, Oregon !!■>; ■<■ r an 1477).
DISTRIBUTION: Damp meadows, northern California and southern Oregon. (Specimens examined from northern California and southern Oregon.)

Carex dudleyi Mackenzie, Erythea 8: 30. 1922
Cespitose, the rootstocks short-prolonged, rather stout, tough, dark-colored, fibrillose, the culms 3-7 dm. high, aphyllopodic, stiff, stoutish, 4—5 mm. thick at base, sharply triangular with flat sides, roughened on the angles above, strongly exceeding the leaves, brownish at base: leaves with well-developed blades 4-6 to a culm, on lower fourth, but not bunched, the blades light-green, thinnish but rather firm, flat, 1-3 dm. (usually 1.5-2.5 dm.) long, 4-7 mm. wide, short-tapering, the margins serrulate, otherwise little roughened, the sheaths tight, somewhat green-and-white-mottled dorsally, white and red-dotted ventrally, more or less cross-rugulose, not fragile, slightly prolonged at mouth beyond base of blade, low-convex and narrowly yellowish-brown-tinged, the ligule wider than long; head compound or decompound, 2-3.5 cm. long, about 1 cm. thick, the spikes or clusters of spikes all closely aggregated, the individual spikes hardly recognizable, the apical staminate flowers inconspicuous, the several to many perigynia ascending or at maturity spreading; lower bracts setaceous-prolonged, shorter than the head, but conspicuous, the upper scale-like; scales ovate, hyaline and more or less yellowish-brown-tinged, the center 3-nerved, green, nearly width of perigynia, strongly awned, the awns often exceeding the perigynia; perigynia plano-convex or slightly biconvex, 2.5—3 mm. long, 1.2 mm. wide, membranaceous, yellowish-green or straw-colored, sharply margined to base, serrulate above middle, round-tapering, substipitate, slightly spongy at base, several-nerved dorsally, obscurely few-nerved at base ventrally, abruptly contracted into a serrulate flat beak about the length of the body, dorsally cleft, shallowly bidentate, the teeth triangular, appressed, very short; achenes lenticular, oval-orbicular, short-stipitate, apiculate, 1.5 mm. long; style short, slender, jointed with achene, enlarged at base; stigmas two, slender, elongate, reddish-brown.
Type locality: Tassajara Hot Springs, California (Elmer 3132).
Distribi/tion': In the Coast Ranges of California, from Monterey County to Lake County; apparently local. (Specimens examined from range as given.)

Carex vicaria L, H. Bailey, Mem. Torrey Club 1 : 49. 1889
" Carex glomerata Thunb. " Bock. Linnaea 39: 59, in part. 1875; W. Boott, in S. Wats. Bot. Calif.
2: 232. 1880. "Carex Brongniartii Kunth" L. H. Bailey, Proc. Am. Acad. 22: 137. 1886. Carex vulpinoidca var. vicaria Kiikenth. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 4 20 : 148. 1909. (Based on C.
vicaria L. H. Bailey.)
Cespitose, the rootstocks very short-prolonged, stout, black, fibrillose, the culms aphyllopodic, 3-6 dm. high, sharply triangular, with flat sides, slender but strict, strongly roughened on the angles, usually noticeably exceeding the leaves, brownish at base; leaves with welldeveloped blades several to a culm, all towards the base, the sheaths overlapping, the blades flat, usually 1-2 dm. long, 3-4.5 mm. wide, roughened on the margins and towards the apex, the sheaths tight, inconspicuously septate-nodulose dorsally, white-hyaline, cross-rugulose, and sparingly red-dotted ventrally, not readily breaking, slightly thickened, yellowish-tinged, convex and prolonged beyond base of blade at mouth, the ligule almost obsolete; head oblong, 1.5-3.5 cm. long, 8-12 mm. thick, decompound, the clusters closely aggregated; individual spikes hardly recognizable, the staminate flowers apical, inconspicuous, the perigynia 6-15, appressed-ascending, or at maturity spreading; bracts setaceous, usually only the lower 1 or 2 developed; scales ovate, reddish-brown with green midrib, acute to cuspidate, about the width of but shorter than the perigynia; perigynia plano-convex, flat on inner face, ovate, short-stipitate, the base rounded, narrowly margined, serrulate at base of beak, 3-3.5 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide, yellowishor reddish-brown-tinged, with narrow thick green margin, nerveless ventrally, few-nerved dorsally, membranaceous, tapering into a serrulate beak about half the length of the body, dorsally cleft, bidentate, the teeth short, triangular, strongly reddish-tinged; achenes lenticular, ovate-suborbicular, 1.5-1.75 mm. long, short-stipitate. apiculate; style slender, straight, enlarged at base, jointed with achene; stigmas two, reddish,
short, slender.
Type locality: Oregon, E. Hall (see Mackenzie, Erythea 8: 30. 1922.)
Distribution : Marshes and swales, Washington to northern California. (Specimens examined

Carex densa is a tussock-forming species of perennial sedge in the family Cyperaceae. It is native to western parts of North America.