Carex muskingumensis Schwein., Cyperaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 8 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Muskingum sedge

Habit:  sedge

Description:  "Plants densely cespitose. Culms 40-100 cm; vegetative culms conspicuous, with spreading leaf blades evenly along stem. Leaves: sheaths adaxially green-veined to within 3 mm of collar, adaxially firm, summits usually brown tinged, U- or V-shaped, thick; distal ligules to 2 mm; blades 7-12 per fertile culm, 12-25 cm x 3-5 mm. Inflorescences open at least proximally, brown, (4-)5-9 cm x 10-20 mm; proximal internode (4-)5-15 mm; 2d internode (3-)5-11 mm; proximal bracts scalelike. Spikes 5-12, distant, distinct, lanceoloid, 12-28 x 3.5-7 mm, bases tapered, apex acute. Pistillate scales white-hyaline or pale brown with pale brown midstripe, oblong-ovate, 4-5 mm, 1/2 length of and narrower than perigynia, apex acute. Perigynia appressed-erect, pale brown, conspicuously 5-7-veined abaxially, conspicuously 3-7-veined adaxially, lanceolate, flat to plano-convex, 6-9 x (1.5-) 2-2.5 mm, 0.3 mm thick, margin flat, including wing 0.2-0.4 mm wide; beak tip flat, ciliate-serrulate, abaxial suture inconspicuous, distance from beak tip to achene 3.1-4.5 mm. Achenes elongate-oblong, 2-2.7 x 0.8-0.9 mm, 0.3 mm thick"  (Flora of North America online).

Habitat/ecology:  (no habitat/ecology info known by PIER)

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Central United States and Canada (Ontario)  (Flora of North America online).

Presence:

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2011)

Additional information:
Additional online information about Carex muskingumensis is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Carex muskingumensis as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Carex muskingumensis may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 2011. Flora of North America North of Mexico (online edition).

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. 2011. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.