The genus Carex of Renfrew County:
A comparative study

By Grant A. Bickel, 2020

Carex argyrantha Tuckerman ex Dew., Silvery-flowered Sedge (Section OVALES)

Carex argyrantha is rare in Renfrew County with only four verified locations known. Carex argyrantha is distinctive with its silvery-green colored spikelets. However, it is easily overlooked or dismissed as Carex projecta from a distance and may be more frequently encountered than expected. Carex foenea has frequently been mis-identified as Carex argyrantha in CAN specimens but the differences are quite distinct. C. argyrantha has smaller perigynia with prominent viens on both faces and prominent wings with serrulate edges (see Figure 5).

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Achenes, perigynia and scales of Carex argyrantha

Figure 1. Achenes, perigynia and scales.
Inflorescences of Carex argyrantha

Figure 2. Inflorescences.
Inflorescences of Carex argyrantha

Figure 3. Inflorescences.
Inflorescences of Carex argyrantha

Figure 4. Inflorescence.
Comparison of achenes, perigynia and scales for C. foenea and C. argyrantha

Figure 5. Comparison of achenes, perigynia and scales for C. foenea and C. argyrantha. For each perigynia pair, the abaxial face is on the left and the adaxial face is on the right.
An occurrence map of Carex argyrantha in Renfrew County

Figure 6. Occurence map for Renfrew County and surrounding area.
Accession records for specimens from Renfrew County
Accession # Collector Date
CAN 10042639 Grant A. Bickel 2016-August-10
CAN 569811 M.I. Moore 1970-August-19