Carex pterocaulos Nelmes (1947

Jin, Xiao-Feng, Cen, Jia-Meng, Hahn, Marlene, Lu, Yi-Fei & He, Jin-Jing, 2015, Notes on Carex (Cyperaceae) from China (II): a taxonomic revision of sect. Radicales (Kük.) Nelmes, Phytotaxa 217 (2), pp. 117-132 : 129

(8) Carex pterocaulos Nelmes (1947 : t. 3467). Type :— BURMA. Sedi chuang: Taroy, 13 Sep 1920, P. T. Russell 1845 (holotype, K!; isotype, K!) ( Figure 2 : G–K) .

Perennial herbs. Rhizomes short. Culms caespitose, 30–45 cm tall, ca. 1.5 mm thick, stiff, trigonous, scabrous on upper part of angles. Leaves longer than culms, flat, blades 9–11.5 mm wide, stiff, slightly scabrous on lower surface and margins, glabrous, with a few brownish persistent sheaths at base. Involucral bracts leaf-like, longer than inflorescence, shortly sheathed. Spikes 1 or 2, remote, densely flowered; lateral spikes extended from middle or lower part of culm; spikes ovoid, 25–40 mm long, 8–10 mm wide; staminate part of spike either equal to or slightly shorter than the pistillate part. Staminate scales greenish white, ovate, 4.5–5.5 mm long, acute or acuminate at apex, green 1-veined costa. Pistillate scales pale green, ovate or broadly ovate, 4.5–5.5 mm long, acute or acuminate at apex, green 3-veined costa. Perigynia pale green, longer than pistillate scales, oblong-obovoid, trigonous, 6–6.5 mm long, thinly veined, pubescent, attenuate into a short stipe at base, ciliate at margins, abruptly contracted into a short beak at apex; orifice 2-lobed with short teeth. Achenes brown at maturity, obovoid, trigonous, 4–4.5 mm long, shortly stipitate at base, beakless at apex; style thickened at base, conic; stigmas 3.

Additional specimens examined:— CHINA. Yunnan: Yanshan, Ta-ker-di, C. W. Wang 84309 (PE).

Note:— This species is morphologically somewhat similar to Carex delavayi , but differs by having long-ovoid spikes, pistillate scales that are acuminate or acute at apex, narrowly winged culms, and broader leaves (9–11.5 mm wide). In C. delavayi , spikes are ovoid, the lower pistillate scales are long-awned at the apex, culms not winged and leaves are 3–5 mm wide.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A–E: Carex caudispicata F. T. Wang & Tang ex P. C. Li. (A) habit; (B) staminate scales; (C) pistillate scale; (D) perigynium; (E) achene.F: Carex caudispicata var. longiutriculata X. F. Jin. (F) perigynium. G–K: Carex pterocaulos Nelmes. (G) habit; (H) staminate scales; (I) pistillate scale; (J) perigynium; (K) achene. (A–E drawn from C. W. Wang 84318 in PE, F from C. W. Wang 82858 in KUN, G–K from P. T. Russell 1845 in K; drawn by Xiao-Feng Jin).