Carex argyroglochin Hornem. from Finland (rhizome
and spike farthest on the left: Lohja, Valla,
1985; other three spikes: Lohja, Lieviö, 1992). –
Image: Harri Harmaja (scanned from dried specimens).
–
This kind of plants are met with in more or less rich woods, especially in moist, somewhat shady habitats by running water
(such as in brooksides and by springs) in southern Finland.
Tentatively, I recognize them at the specific level as C. argyroglochin
(Cyperaceae). That species differs from the
very closely related C. leporina L.: (i) the
rhizome is often longer (up to 8 cm; hence the plant may generally be more loosely cespitose),
(ii) the basal sheaths tend to brake in fibrils more conspicuously, (iii)
the leaves display a few subtle differences as being longer, narrower, paler,
and softer, (iv) the
bracts subtending the spikes are slightly longer (those of two lowest spikes are
usually longer than the respective spikes), (v) the spikes are fewer
on the average, (vi) the spikes are generally more sparsely spaced, (vii)
the spikes are a bit smaller, (viii) the spike glumes are and remain long silvery white,
possessing a narrow green middle vein (vs. distinctly brown-tinged from the
beginning), (ix) the
perigynia are slightly narrower, (x) the perigynia remain green for a
long time (vs. getting soon brown), and (xi) the
habitat ecology is different: the first-named generally grows in nutrient-rich, shadier,
moister, and less human-influenced habitats than C. leporina (however,
slight human influence is observable anyway).
The inflorescence of C. argyroglochin lastly assumes some brownish tinge.
The following notable species were observed in either or both of the habitats of the specimens
illustrated: Actaea spicata, Carex cespitosa, Chrysosplenium
alterniflorum, Circaea alpina, Corylus avellana, Elymus caninus, Equisetum
pratense, Impatiens noli-tangere, Listera cordata (in a slightly paludified
portion), L. ovata, Milium effusum, Mycelis muralis, Pulmonaria obscura,
Rubus arcticus, Stellaria longifolia, S. nemorum, Eurhynchium angustirete, Mnium
undulatum. It would appear that C. argyroglochin might be an
indigenous taxon in the area.
This morph is sometimes
considered as an independent species, C. argyroglochin. More often, it is treated under C. ovalis as a
subspecies or variety. Some reports inform that it grows on mull soil in shady
beech forests. However, mostly this morph or
taxon is
not recognized at all. In southernmost Sweden it was found to grow with typical
C. leporina side by side (Ekman,
S. 1985: Flora över Ivö.
– Svensk
Bot. Tidskr. 79: 131-164.).
The above two species belong to the
section Ovales Kunth of Carex L. That section
displays most diversity in the New World, being taxonomically difficult as it
comprising several closely related species with few distinguishing characters.
It still remains to be investigated whether C. argyroglochin merely
consists of pale shade
modifications of C. leporina. One alternative would be that the pale
plants are partly indeed a taxon of their own, partly scantily pigmented
morphs of C. leporina.
Admittedly, plants that appear intermediate exist. Individuals of C.
leporina that happen to grow in a shady habitat may possess a somewhat paler
inflorescence than plants of sunny habitats. However, in shady habitats also
brownish plants are met with and, on the other side, plants with pale
inflorescences have been found in rather open habitats. Some observations made by
me with the light microscope did not reveal distinct differences between these
supposed two taxa: the silica cones of the achene epidermis and the size of the
stomates were similar in them. However,
in a supposed C. argyroglochin
plant the abaxial stomates of the leaves turned out to be clearly more scattered
than in a plant of C. leporina.
One more notification: the leaves of most plants of the
tentative C. argyroglochin differ only rather slightly from those of C.
leporina (see above) while a
few plants of the former possess more deviating leaves that are long, narrow,
yellowish-green, thin, and soft. The anatomy of of the last-named leaves, at least, can
be expected to display clear deviation from that of C. ovalis leaves.
Created April 6, 2004. Latest revision November 16, 2007.