Section PHYSOGLOCHIN
Only one species from Section PHYSOGLOCHIN is found in Renfrew County.
Carex gynocrates Wormsk. ex Drej., Northern Bog Sedge
Carex gynocrates is an arctic/boreal species that grows on wet peaty ground, usually on calcareous substrates. While common in northern Ontario, it appears to be quite rare in Renfrew County and recorded only from Westmeath Bog. There, it grows abundantly on sphagnum in cool treed fens.
This plant is one of the most diminutive species of Carex and can easily go unnoticed. The inflorescence has a single terminal spike that is androgynous in general but often purely staminate or predominantly pistillate (see Figure 2). The leaves are filiform and concealed in the sphagnum substrate. It does form fairly dense colonies so that when in fruit, the cluster of individual pistillate culms become conspicuous.
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Figure 1. Achenes, perigynia and scales.
Figure 2. A purely staminate spike (left) and a predominantely pistillate spike (right) on separate plants.
Figure 3. B&W scan of specimens showing habit.
Figure 4. Occurence map for Renfrew County and surrounding area.
| Accession # | Collector | Date |
|---|---|---|
| CAN 595787 | G.A. Bickel | 2010-June-27 |
| DAO 691583 | J.M. Reddoch | 1989-July-01 |