The genus Carex of Renfrew County:
A comparative study

By Grant A. Bickel, 2020

Carex brevior (Dew.) Mack. ex Lunell, Short-beaked Sedge (Section OVALES)

Carex brevior seems to be sparse in Renfrew County. It is often lumped with C. merritt-fernaldii and most records in CAN and DAO require confirmation. A few have been confirmed and these have been mapped. I separate C. brevior from C. merritt-fernaldii by the perigynia features. Figure 5 shows that the perigynia of C. merritt-fernaldii are thin, translucent and erose along the distal margins. The perigynia of C. brevior are thick, opaque and with firm margins. More information about the features that separate C. merritt-fernaldii and C. brevior can be found in [Rothrock and Reznicek, 2001] or the FNA website (http://floranorthamerica.org/).

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Achenes, perigynia and scales of Carex brevior

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

Figure 2. Inflorescences.
Inflorescences of Carex brevior

Figure 3. Inflorescences.
Inflorescences of Carex brevior

Figure 4. Inflorescence.
Comparison of Carex brevior and Carex merritt-fernaldii perigynia

Figure 5. Comparison of Carex brevior and Carex merritt-fernaldii perigynia.
Comparison of Carex brevior and Carex merritt-fernaldii inflorescences

Figure 6. Comparison of Carex brevior and Carex merritt-fernaldii inflorescences.
An occurrence map of Carex brevior in Renfrew County

Figure 7. Occurence map for Renfrew County and surrounding area.
Accession records for specimens from Renfrew County
Accession # Collector Date
DAO 669385 A. Vogg 1993-September-28
DAO 452171 D.F. Brunton 1985-June-10

References

Rothrock, P.E., Reznicek, A.A., The Taxonomy of the Carex bicknellii Group (Cyperaceae) and New Species for Cental North America, NOVON, vol. 11, pp. 205-228, 2001.