Carex leptalia
 
Bristle-Stalked Sedge

Staminate Flowers

Trail to Fire Tower at Brockelbank Hill,
North of Townsend Lake on Highway # 980
14-June-2018

The staminate flowers (pictured here) are found at the apex of the spike and pistillate flowers are found at the base.  This arrangement makes the spike androgynous.  

bullet

Leptalia: Answers to key questions in Sedges (Carex) of Saskatchewan, Fascicle 3, Flora of Saskatchewan by Anna Leighton leading to this species. The answers are in the order you would normally work through the key. 
bullet

Stigmas 3; achenes three-sided, occasionally terete, though their shape may be concealed by flattened perigynia. NOT [Stigmas 2; achenes lenticular]

bullet

Spikes 1 per culm, terminal; spike bracts absent; NOT [Spikes 2 or more per culm, terminal and lateral; spike bracts present on lateral spikes (except in Section Phyllostachyae), lowest bract usually evident, often conspicuous].

bullet

Spike androgynous; plants monoecious; perigynia 1-18 per spike; if perigynia pubescent then plants caespitose.  NOT [Spike unisexual; plants dioecious; pistillate spike narrowly cylindrical, 10-30 (40) mm long; perigynia 50-100 per spike; plants rhizomatous with pubescent perigynia]

bullet

Lower pistillate scales not bract-like or leaf-like but similar in size and shape to individual perigynia; NOT [Lower pistillate scales resembling green, leaf-like bracts much longer and wider than individual perigynia.  Section Phyllostachyae (C. backii, C. saximontana)]

bullet

Perigynia either 6-8 mm long with ill-defined beak, or shorter than 3.5 mm and beakless.  NOT [Perigynia to 3.5 (4.8) mm long with beak between 0.2 and 0.8 mm long.]

bullet

Perigynia to 3.5 mm long, rounded and often slightly notched at tip, appressed at maturity; style jointed at base and deciduous from achene; staminate scales about 1 mm long and joined along lower margins to form a short sheathing cylinder; plants widespread in moist, shady habitats.  NOT [Perigynia 6-8 mm long, narrowly lanceolate, long tapering, reflexed at maturity; style continuous with achene and persisting as a long prong; staminate scales 4-6 mm long and not joined along lower margins; plants of northern fens and bogs.]