Carex vaginata
 
Sheathed Sedge

Rhizome

Hudson Bay Regional Park
01-June-2015

bullet

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

bullet

Lower pistillate scales not bract-like or leaf-like but similar in size and shape to individual perigynia (up to twice as long as perigynia in C. magellanica ssp. irrigua).  NOT [Lower pistillate scales resembling green, leaf-like bracts much longer and wider than individual perigynia.]

bullet

Perigynia glabrous (i.e. lacking pubescence). NOT [Perigynia sparsely to densely pubescent or puberulent (in C. pedunculata pubescence represented by very short hairs scattered near tip; in some species of Sect. Acrocystis, perigynia may be glabrous or virtually hairless, but all members of this group have convexly 3-sided to terete achenes with tight fitting perigynia and a stipe-like base about equal to beak in length).]

bullet

Beak absent or less than 0.5 mm long; if more than 0.5 mm long, then terminating in an orifice without teeth.  NOT [Beak over 0.5 mm long and usually visibly bidentate (teeth hyaline in C. sprengelii, inconspicuous in C. viridula, very short in C. oligosperma).]

bullet

Leaves and sheaths glabrous; plants cespitose or rhizomatous.  NOT [Leaves and sheaths pubescent; plants cespitose]

bullet

Lowest spike bract sheath at least (2.5) 3 mm long; NOT [Lowest spike bract sheathless or with sheaths 1-2 mm long (to 3 or 4 mm long in Section Limosae)]

bullet

Plants rhizomatous (some species forming colonies); staminate spike 12-25 mm long, conspicuous, positioned well above upper pistillate spike.  NOT [Plants cespitose; terminal staminate spike at most 10 mm long, inconspicuous among, or overtopped by, distal pistillate spike(s).]

bullet

Basal pistillate spikes absent; perigynia tapering at base; NOT [Basal pistillate spikes present; perigynia rounded at base]

bullet

Perigynia beak one-sixth or more of total perigynium length; foliage deep green; rhizomes shallow; woodland species.  NOT [Perigynia beakless or with minute beak; foliage glaucous or green; rhizomes deep-seated; bog or moist prairie species.]