Carex

Koopman, Jacob, Aleksanyan, Taron, Aleksanyan, Alla, Fayvush, George, Oganesian, Marina, Vitek, Ernst & Więcław, Helena, 2021, The genus Carex (Cyperaceae) in Armenia, Phytotaxa 494 (1), pp. 1-41 : 12-14

Key for determining the taxa within the genus Carex in Armenia

In brackets are given the synonyms, under which a few taxa were treated by Khandjian (2001). For a more extended overview of synonyms, see Koopman (2015).

1. Nut within a closed perigynium (utricle)............................................................................................................................................

- Nut subtented by a scale-like, open perigynium, of which the margins are free or only closed at the base [former genus Kobresia . .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 69

2. Lower utricles directly subtended by 5–20 cm long leaf-like bracts instead of female glumes, exceeding 3–5 times the inflorescence.............................................................................................................................................................. C. phyllostachys

- All female glumes less than 5 mm long .............................................................................................................................................

3. Spike solitary ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 4

- Spikes 2 or more................................................................................................................................................................................. 7

4. Plant with creeping, horizontal rhizomes; spike (6) 10–15 mm long, linear-oblong or conical, upper male part longer than lower female part .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

- Plant caespitose; spike 6–8 (12) mm long, ovoid or ovoid-lanceolate, upper male part shorter than or rarely equalling lower female part...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

5. Stigmas 2; utricles flattened, plano-convex, veinless...................................................................................................... C. oreophila

- Stigmas 3; utricles ovoid or broad-ovoid, veined.............................................................................................................. C. obtusata

6. Utricles with 0.5–0.8(-1) mm long stipe and bidentate beak ..................................................... C. pyrenaica subsp. micropodioides

- Utricles without stipe, beakless or with slightly visible beak ........................................................................................ C. capitellata

7 (3). Spikes more or less similar in appearance, the terminal at least partly female (in C. disticha terminal and lower spikes entirely female, middle spikes entirely male).................................................................................................................................................. 8

- Spikes dissimilar in appearance; the terminal one(s) entirely male, the lower one(s) entirely female or male only at the top........... .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 0

8. Stigmas 2; all spikes androgynous, i.e. with male flowers above and female flowers below, or gynaecandrous, i.e. with female flowers above and male flowers below; subgenus Vignea ................................................................................................................. 9

- Stigmas 3; terminal spike gynaecandrous, lateral spikes female .................................................................. (section Racemosae ) 7

9. All spikes gynaecandrous ................................................................................................................................................................. 0

- At least one spike androgynous........................................................................................................................................................ 4

10. Inflorescence densely capitate; utricles 7–9 mm long..................................................................................................... C. bohemica

- Inflorescence spiciform, paniculate, elongate-ovoid, rarely with close but not capitate spikes; utricles up to 6 mm long ................. ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

11. Utricles 2–2.5 (3) mm long, beak up to 0.2 mm long .................................................................................................... C. canescens

- Utricles 3–6 mm long, beak 0.5–1(1.5) mm long.............................................................................................................................

12. Inflorescence up to 30 cm long, bracts leaf-like, long, exceeding inflorescence................................................................ C. remota

- Inflorescence (1) 2–4 cm long, bracts often setaceous or glumaceous, not exceeding inflorescence..............................................

13. Utricles 4–5 mm long, pale brown, prominently veined, with winged margins up to 0.3 mm wide; beak 1.5 mm long; spikes usually overlapping; leaves (1.5) 2–4 mm wide, light-green; plant caespitose ............................................................................. C. leporina

- Utricles (2.7) 3–4, mm long, (dark) brown, obscurely veined, with narrow, scabrid wings; beak 1 mm long; spikes more or less crowded; leaves 1.5–2 mm wide, greyish-green; plant rhizomatous ................................................................................. C. praecox

14 (9). Plant densely caespitose, without creeping rhizomes....................................................................................................................... 5

- Plant not or laxly caespitose, with creeping rhizomes .....................................................................................................................

15. Stems less than 2 mm thick, with more or less obtuse angles ........................................................................................................ 6

- Stems more than 2 mm thick, trigonous, scabrid above ................................................................................................................. 0

16. Utricles in lower part with spongy tissue; ligule acute, distinctly longer than wide...................... C. spicata (= C. contigua Hoppe )

- Utricles in lower part without spongy tissue; ligule rounded, not longer than wide........................................................................ 7

17. Female glumes (dark) brown............................................................................................................................................................ 8

- Female glumes pale green-whitish or very light brown ................................................................................................................... 9

18. Inflorescence 25–45 (50) mm long, compact; female glumes dark brown ............................................ C. muricata subsp. ashokae

- Inflorescence 40-65 (85) mm long, lowest spikes more or less distant; female glumes (light) brown............................. C. otomana

19. Utricles (4.5) 5–6.5 mm long, brown at maturity, sometimes with greenish margins; beak 1.5–2 mm long, with dark-margined teeth; stems robust, erect, rarely overhanging ........................................................................ C. leersii (= C. polyphylla Kar. & Kir. )

- Utricles 3.5–4.5 mm long, greenish or greenish-yellowish at maturity; beak 1–1.5 mm long, with white-membranous-margined teeth; stems weak, lying ...................................................................................................................................................... C. divulsa

20 (15).Stems sharply trigonous, winged, with concave faces ........................................................................................................ C. vulpina

- Stems scarcely winged or unwinged ................................................................................................................................................

21. Utricles 5–6 mm long, beak 1–1.5 mm long ...................................................................................................................... C. otrubae

- Utricles 2.5–3 mm long, beak 0.5–0.7 (1) mm long................................................................................................ C. appropinquata

22 (14).Beak 1.5–2 mm long .......................................................................................................................................................... C. diandra

- Beak less than 1.5 mm long..............................................................................................................................................................

23. Spikes usually unisexual, terminal and lower spikes entirely female; inflorescence 30–80 (100) mm long, in middle part frequently narrowed with entirely male spikes.................................................................................................................................... C. disticha

- Spikes androgynous, sometimes upper spike entirely male, inflorescence less than 30 mm long................................................... 4

24. Utricles ca. 3 mm long........................................................................ C. pseudofoetida subsp. acrifolia (= C. acrifolia V.I. Krecz. )

- Utricles more than 3 mm long.......................................................................................................................................................... 5

25. Inflorescence distinctly lobed, separate spikes clearly evident at least at the base; female glumes cuspidate or aristate ................... ............................................................................................................................................................................................... C. divisa

- Inflorescence not lobed, oblong to oblong-ovoid, separate spikes scarcely evident; female glumes acute..................................... 6

26. Utricles (3) 4–4.5 (5) mm long, chestnut-coloured, with 10 veins ventrally, 5–7 dorsally; beak 0.8–1 mm long, slightly scabrid .... ................................................................................................................................................. C. stenophylla subsp. stenophylloides

- Utricles (3.8) 4.5–5.5 mm long, yellowish-brown to dark-brown, veinless or with slightly visible veins at base; beak 1–1.5 mm long, smooth or sparsely scabrid ................................................................................................................................... C. pachystylis

27 (8). Utricles 2.5–3.5 mm long, pale green, papillose ..................................................................................................... C. hartmaniorum

- Utricles 3–4.5 mm long, yellow, ferruginous-yellow, dark brown, purple-black to black, without papillae................................... 8

28. Inflorescence loose, spikes pedunculate, pendent, the lowest one with peduncle 3–5 сm long; female glumes lanceolate, purplebrown, with white-membranous margin; utricles veined ................................................................................................ C. caucasica

- Inflorescence more compact, spikes sessile, erect or overhanging, the lowest one with peduncle up to 1–2 сm long; female glumes without membranous margins; utricles veinless............................................................................................................................... 9

29. Utricles 3–3.5 mm long, dark brown or purple-black at maturity; beak up to 0.7 mm long; spikes 1–3, all sessile, erect, the uppermost spike 5–8 mm long ........................................................................................................................................ C. oligantha

- Utricles (3.5) 4–4.5 mm long, brown, purple-black to black at maturity; beak up to 0.5 mm long; spikes 3–4 (5), overhanging or erect, the lowest one with peduncle 5–10 mm long; upper spikes usually sessile, the uppermost spike 15–20 mm long................... ............................................................................................................... C. aterrima subsp. medwedewii (= C. medwedewii Leskov )

30 (7). Stigmas 2; utricles plano-convex; section Phacocystis ....................................................................................................................

- Stigmas 3; utricles plano-convex or trigonous ................................................................................................................................. 5

31. Lowest bract exceeds inflorescence significantly .................................................................................................................. C. acuta

- Lowest bract shorter than or equalling inflorescence, rarely a little longer .....................................................................................

32. Utricles (3) 3.5–4 mm long, significantly wider than glumes; stems (40) 50–100 (120) сm long; plant caespitose........................... ................................................................................................................................................................................................. C. elata

- Utricles 2–3 (3.5) mm long, slightly wider than glumes; stems (15) 20–50 (60) сm long; plant caespitose or rhizomatous.............. ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

33. Plant without creeping rhizomes, forming dense tussocks; utricles greyish to brownish-green, veinless or very obscurely veined; female glumes without light midrib, with very narrow, light-membranous margin......................................................... C. cespitosa

- Plant with more or less long creeping rhizomes, not forming tussocks; utricles greenish, with unclear or thin veins ventrally; female glumes with light midrib, without light-membranous margin.......................................................................................................... 4

34. Stems at base with light-straw coloured or greyish-brown leaf sheaths; utricles 3–3.5 mm long, elliptical, pale-or olive-green, dark at top, with unclear veins; beak ca. 0.1 mm long; female glumes narrow-lanceolate, gradually tapering into acute apex ................. ........................................................................................................................................................ C. orbicularis subsp. kotschyana

- Stems at base with black-purple leaf sheaths; utricles 2–2.5 mm long, broad-ovate, sometimes elliptical, green, almost black at top, with 3–5 thin veins ventrally, dorsally veinless; beak ca. 0.2 mm long; female glumes oblong-ovoid, apex acute or obtuse ............ .................................................................................................. C. nigra subsp. transcaucasica (= C. transcaucasica T.V. Egorova )

35 (30). Utricles plano-convex, from base with narrow, serrulate, winged margins .................................................................................... 6

- Utricles trigonous or biconvex, unwinged........................................................................................................................................ 7

36. Utricles 8–12 mm long, with 5–8 ventral and 4–5 dorsal veins, scabrid; beak 3–4 mm long; male spikes with peduncle 50–100 mm; female spikes 20–40 mm long, 8–10 mm wide......................................................................................................... C. hordeistichos

- Utricles 6–7 mm long, with 3–5 ventral and 2–3 dorsal veins, smooth except for margins and beak; beak 2 mm long; male spikes with peduncle 20–60 mm; female spikes 10–30 mm long, 5–8 mm wide........................................................................ C. secalina

37. Utricles densely or loosely pubescent .............................................................................................................................................. 8

- Utricles glabrous; utricles of C. tristis (53) with short hairs only at top.......................................................................................... 5

38. Beak bifid, usually longer than 1 mm .............................................................................................................................................. 9

- Beak conical, obscure, entire or shortly bidentate, usually less than 1 mm long............................................................................. 4

39. Sheaths of leaves pubescent ............................................................................................................................................................. 40

- Sheaths of leaves glabrous................................................................................................................................................................ 4

40. Utricles 5–7 mm long, densely hairy, green or brownish-green, with numerous veins; beak 1.5–2 mm long, scabrid bifid; male spikes 2–3, 10– 30 mm long; female spikes 2–3, 10– 45 mm long, 7–10 mm wide ................................................................ C. hirta

- Utricles 6–10 mm long, sparsely hairy, brownish-green, veined; beak 2–3 (4) mm long, glabrous; male spikes 2–6, 20– 40 mm long; female spikes 2–5, 25– 80 mm long, 9–12 mm wide.............................................................................................. C. atherodes

41. Leaves 0.5–1 (2) mm wide, canaliculate, usually longer than or rarely equalling inflorescence; utricles (3.5) 4–5 mm long; male spikes 1–3 ....................................................................................................................................................................... C. lasiocarpa

- Leaves 2–7 mm wide, flat, usually shorter than or rarely equalling inflorescence; utricles 5–6 mm long; male spike solitary ......... .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4

42. Plant with long, thin, creeping rhizomes ............................................................................................................................ C. michelii

- Plant densely caespitose and with stout rhizomes.......................................................................................................... C. brevicollis

43 (38).Plant rhizomatous........................................................................................................................................................... C. tomentosa

- Plant caespitose ................................................................................................................................................................................ 44

44. Female spikes ovoid to oblong, dense.............................................................................................................................................. 45

- Female spikes linear to oblong or fusiform, lax ............................................................................................................................... 48

45. Upper female spikes overlapping, sessile or shortly pedunculate; lower 1– 2 female spikes gynobase, i.e. with long peduncle arising from base of stem ............................................................................................................................................................................. 46

- All female spikes more or less approximate, sessile or with short peduncle; no gynobase spikes .................................................. 47

46. Utricles 4–5 (5.5) mm long, sparsely pubescent, prominently veined; beak 0.5 mm long ............................................ C. halleriana

- Utricles 2.5–3 mm long, shortly pubescent, with thin veins; beak (0.2) 0.5–1 mm long..................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................ C. depressa subsp. transsilvanica

47. Plant laxly caespitose, with short creeping rhizomes................................................................................................. C. caryophyllea

- Plant caespitose, without creeping rhizomes..................................................... C. umbrosa subsp. huetiana (= C. huetiana Boiss. )

48 (44). Female spikes with 2–4 flowers ......................................................................................................................................... C. humilis

- Female spikes with more than 4 flowers .......................................................................................................................................... 49

49. Leaves of flowering shoots consisting of sheaths without blades or the uppermost with short setaceous blade; female glumes with obtuse apex and wide purple-membranous margins............................................................................................................ C. digitata

- Leaves of flowering shoots with sheaths and blades; female glumes with acute apex and white-membranous margins................ 50

50. Plant 10–12 (15) сm tall, forming dense tufts, with shortened rhizomes; leaves shorter than stems............................ C. pediformis

- Plant (15) 18–35 сm tall, forming loose tufts, with creeping rhizomes; leaves equalling or exceeding stems.................................... ............................................................................................................................................................................................. C. rhizina

51 (37). Male spike solitary or sometimes 2; C. tristis 1(–3) ....................................................................................................................... 5

- Male spikes usually more than 2 ...................................................................................................................................................... 64

52. Spikes pendent.................................................................................................................................................................................. 5

- Spikes erect....................................................................................................................................................................................... 57

53. Leaves 0.5–2 mm wide, canaliculated.............................................................................................................................. C. capillaris

- Leaves wider than 2 mm, flat ........................................................................................................................................................... 54

54. Female spikes loose........................................................................................................................................................... C. sylvatica

- Female spikes dense ......................................................................................................................................................................... 55

55. Utricles 3–3.5 mm long ................................................................................................................................................ C. pendula s.l.

- Utricles 4–6.5 (7) mm long .............................................................................................................................................................. 56

56. Utricles 4.5–5 mm long; female spikes 3–5, 20–60 (100) mm long, clustered at top and often exceeding male spike ...................... ................................................................................................................................................................................. C. pseudocyperus

- Utricles 4–6.5 (7) mm long; female spikes 2–3, 10– 15 mm long .......................................................................................... C. tristis

57 (52). Beak 2.5–3.5 mm long ............................................................................................................................................... C. depauperata

- Beak up to 2 mm long or absent....................................................................................................................................................... 58

58. Beak ca. 2 mm long, bifid ................................................................................................................................................... C. cilicica

- Beak 0.2–1.2 mm long or utricles beakless...................................................................................................................................... 59

59. Utricles prominently veined ............................................................................................................................................................. 60

- Utricles obscurely veined or distinct veins only at base................................................................................................................... 6

60. Male spike whitish or pale ferruginous, solitary, usually without stalk; beak glabrous........................................................ C. diluta

- Male spike(s) pale-brown, 1 (2), with more or less long stalk(s); beak scabrid.................................................................. C. distans

61. Leaves bright green, sheaths hairy; utricles beakless.................................................................................................... C. pallescens

- Leaf not bright green, sheaths glabrous; utricles with 0.2–1 mm long beak................................................................................... 6

62. Leaves glaucous.................................................................................................................................................................. C. panicea

- Leaves yellowish-green, green to dark green ................................................................................................................................... 6

63. Female spikes 1–2 (3), globose or ovoid, 5–8 mm long; female glumes acute or acuminate.............................................. C. supina

- Female spikes (1) 2–3, oblong-ovoid to globose, 5–15 mm long; female glumes obtuse to acute...................................................... .................................................................................................................................................. C. liparocarpos subsp. bordzilowskii

64 (51). Utricles with sunken veins .................................................................................................................................... C. melanostachya

- Utricles with prominent veins or veinless ........................................................................................................................................ 65

65. Utricles 3.5–4 mm long, purple-brown to orange-brown................................................................................................ C. songorica

- Utricles longer than 4 mm, green ..................................................................................................................................................... 66

66. Beak 1–2 mm long............................................................................................................................................................................ 67

- Beak shorter than 1 mm .................................................................................................................................................................... 68

67. Utricles 4–5 (6) mm long, deflexed from the stem axis, at maturity horizontally patent, yellowish-green, slightly shining.............. ............................................................................................................................................................................................ C. rostrata

- Utricles (6) 7–8 mm long, inflated, erecto-patent, greenish-yellowish, at maturity brownish-yellow, more or less shining .............. .......................................................................................................................................................................................... C. vesicaria

68 Utricles (4.5) 5–6.5 mm long, brown-olive, not papillose, inflated, with numerous thin veins........................................... C. riparia

- Utricles 3.5–5 mm long, greenish or dark-green, covered with small papillae, veined ............................................... C. acutiformis

69. (1) Stems (3) 5–7 (10) cm tall, trigonous in upper part; leaves basal, shorter than stems, with yellowish sheaths; glumes without membranous margins....................................................................................... C. alatauensis (= Kobresia persica Kük. ex Bornm. )

- Stems (8) 15–30 (60) сm tall, cylindrical in upper part; leaves 20–50 сm long, with brown sheaths; glumes with white-membranous margins ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 70

70. Inflorescence ovoid or elliptical, with spikes sitting on branches in lower part and spikes sitting on main axis in upper part........... ..................................................................................................................... C. deasyi (= Kobresia schoenoides (C.A. Mey.) Steud.)

- Inflorescence dense, oblong, with spikes sitting on main axis................................ C. capillifolia (= Kobresia macrolepis Meinsh. )