Compilation
Carex lyngbyei

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Name

Identification
Carex lyngbyei Hornem. [family CYPERACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by Not on Sheet, Carex filipendula Drejer [family CYPERACEAE ] Verified by Not on Sheet,
Related name
  • Carex capillipes
  • Carex lyngbyei
  • Carex fillipendula
  • Carex filipendula
  • Carex romanzowiana
  • Carex cryptocarpa
  • Carex prionocarpa

Flora

Entry for Carex lyngbyei Hornemann [family CYPERACEAE]
Herbarium
Flora of North America (FNA)
Collection
Flora of North America
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of North America, Vol 23,
Names
Carex lyngbyei Hornemann [family CYPERACEAE], in G. C. Oeder et al., Fl. Dan., 11(32): 6, plate 1888. 1827
Carex cryptocarpa C. A. Meyer [family CYPERACEAE]
Carex lyngbyei var. cryptocarpa (C. A. Meyer) Hultén [family CYPERACEAE]
Carex lyngbyei var. robusta (L. H. Bailey) Cronquist [family CYPERACEAE]
Carex salina Wahlenberg var. robusta L. H. Bailey [family CYPERACEAE]
Treatment Author(s)
Peter W. Ball
A. A. Reznicek
Information
Plants not cespitose. Culms obtusely or acutely angled, 25–130 cm, glabrous. Leaves: basal sheaths red-brown; sheaths of proximal leaves glabrous, fronts lacking spots and veins, apex U-shaped; blades hypostomic, 3–8 mm wide, abaxially papillose. Proximal bract longer than inflorescence, 3–6 mm wide. Spikes usually pendent; staminate 2–3; pistillate 2–4; proximal pistillate spike 1.8–5 cm × 5–7 mm, base obtuse. Pistillate scales red-brown to dark purple-brown, longer than perigynia, apex acuminate, awnless. Perigynia divergent, yellow-brown with pale brown spots on apical 1/2, 5–7-veined on each face, somewhat inflated, loosely enclosing achenes, 2.5–3.5 × 1.6–2.5 mm, leathery, dull, base with stipe to 0.5 mm, apex obtuse or rounded, papillose; beak thickened, 0.1–0.3 mm. Achenes constricted on 1 or both margins, apex rounded; style base straight. 2n = 68, 70, 72.
Phenology Fruiting
jul
summer
aug
Altitude range
0–10 m;
Distribution
GreenlandEurope (Iceland).USA AlaskaUSA Calif.USA Oreg.USA Wash.Canada B.C.
Discussion
Carex lyngbyei is the common sedge of the Pacific coastal salt marshes. It may easily be distinguished from sympatric species by the large, pendent, pedunculate spikes and the leathery, yellow-brown perigynia.
Although the species is also reported to occur in Japan and Korea, some Asian collections show significant morphologic and habitat differences from the North American plants. It is probably most closely related to Carex paleacea and to the South American C. darwinii, and differs from C. paleacea primarily by having acute, rather than awned, scales. Previous reports from eastern North American were misidentifications (J. Cayouette 1987).

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