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Achenes Trigonous (3-styles) perigynia +/- ● or ▲ in x-section Achenes Lenticular (2-styles) perigynia +/- flat in x-section

Perigynia Teeth Inconspicuous or Absent; Styles Jointed to the Achene (easily dislodge) P. Teeth Prominent; Style/Achene fused Infl. Compound Inflorescences Simple
Perigynia Rounded at the Base Perigynia Tapering at the Base Cespitose Rhizomatous Multiflorae; (C. Inf. Unisex/or And Inf. Gynandrous
Spikes Two or More per Culm Spikes Single Perigynia Hairy Perigynia Glabrous Lupulinae; (C. Carex; (C. ather- vulpinoidea); flow- Phaestoglochin; Ovales;(C. molesta);
Rhizomatous Cespitose Phyllostachyae; Acrocystis; (C. Laxiflorae; (C. grayi); perigynia odes); large sedges ering culm stiff and (C. radiata/ C.ceph- margins of perigynia
Red Base Brown or Green Base Terminal Spike ♂ Terminal Spike +/-♀ (C. jamesii); albicans); leaves blanda); lower most greater than 10mm similar to below not easily crushed; alophora); perigy- winged; perigynia
Pedulinae/Glauces- Panicae; (C.meadii); Careyanae; (C. Porocystis; (C. hirsu- spike subtended and sheaths pistillate spike with a long but with perigynia horizontal lines on nia spongy/corky flat
centes; (C. joori); less than nine perigyn- digitalis) nerves tella); lateral spikes by large (15- glabrous well developed leaf 5 to 10mm long ventral sheath based; spikes star
terminal spike stam- ia per spike; perigynia raised on the peri- less than 2 cm long; 50mm) leaf-like blade; cespitose Vulpinae; (C.stip- /artichoke shaped
inate or androgynous; pale to glaucus; C. gynium surface; leaves, sheaths, occ. bract Squarrosae; (C. Paludosae; (C. ata); perigynia with Phacocystis; (C. Deweyanae; (C.
species of southern woodii red at the base perigynia triangular perigynia, pubescent Polytrichoidae/ Hirtifolia; (only Albae; (C. eburnea); frankii/C. squar- lacustris); large a spongy/corky stricta/C. emoryi); bromoides); perigy-
and southeastern NA in cross-section; Leptocephalae; C. hirtifolia); lower most pistillate rosa); main body of sedges of meadows base; some taxa w/ term. spike usually nia accending; per-
Atratae/Racemosae; Granulares;(C.crawei) Griseae; (C. amph- Shortianae; (only C. (only C. leptal- leaves and spike lacking a leaf- perigynia widest with perigynia less pithy/crushable all or mostly stam- igynia not winged
(C.buxbaumii); ten or more perigynia ibola) nerves shortiana); perigynia ea); spike not sheaths like bract; cespitose; above the middle than 5mm long; flowering culms inate; pistillate
terminal spike per spike; perigynia impressed on the about as long as wide subtended by pubescent one other species in (obovate-obconic) pub perigynia in C. spikes catkin-like
gynandrous; pistillate green or brown; C. perigynium; peri- and tightly packed leaf-like bract Texas pellita Heleoglochin; (C.
scales infused with granularis red at the gynia rounded to into catkin-like spikes Vesicariae; (C. decomposita); Divisae; (three rare Stellatae; (C. ster-
purple; primarily base obtusely triangular Panicae; (C. meadii); lurida); main body lower branches of exotics: C. praegra- ilis/C. interior); per-
species of western NA in cross-section plants rhizomatous of perigynia widest infl. conspicuous; cilis, C. douglasii, igynia spreading or
Anomalae; (C. sca- Hymenochlaenae; (C. at or below the sheath fronts dotted C. eleocharis); pla- reflexed; sometimes
brata); perigynia body Granulares; (only debilis); at least lower middle (ovate to red/orange nts rhizomatous; spikes are only
hairy or roughly C. granularis here; most pistillate spikes elliptic) lvs all basal staminate
papillose; one other other members are drooping; some Intermediae/Holar- Cyperoideae; (only
species of western NA rhizomatous); peri- species with pubesc- rhenae (only C. C. sychnocephala);
gynia spherical and ent vegetation sartwellii); plants like Ovales but with
Granulares if peri- with raised nerves rhizomatous; leaf-like bracts that
gynia spherical cauline lvs present are longer than infl.
Panicae; if pale peri-
gynia;& <10 per spike

When identifying specimens belonging to such a large genus as Carex it is often helpful to start with a key to its taxonomic sections. As one gains familiarity with the sections, Carex becomes a much
more manageable and enjoyable subject to study. In order to facilitate the painless placement of specimens and to encourage their study in a visual context the above table key has been constructed.
While this table key contains every section of Carex currently know to occur within the political boundaries of the state of Missouri, it is quite complete for most regions in the Midwest. A common
species of each section has also been included in parenthesis in order to quickly “place a face with the name”. The nomenclature of the sections in the table follows that of Steyermark’s Flora of
Missouri (vol. 1) by George Yatskievych. Where such names differ from the treatment found in volume 23 of the Flora of North America (FNA) the FNA names are also included.

Have fun,
Justin R. Thomas

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