Carex canescens L. (Cyperaceae), morph (Finland, Lohja, Lieviö, 1988). – Image: Harri Harmaja (scanned from dried specimen). – At times, this kind of plants are found in somewhat shady habitats by running water (e.g. in brooksides and by springs) but they are absent from more open habitats on peaty ground (e.g. paludified shores of small lakes) where the so-called typical C. canescens commonly dwells. The present plant deviates from the commonest morph of C. canescens in that (i) the tufts are looser, (ii) the colour is pure green, (iii) the spikes are more widely spaced, (iv) the spikes are about globose, comprising a lower number of flowers, and (v) at times, the lowest spike is subtended by a distinct bract. The perigynia and their bracts may also display slight deviations. The habit of the inflorescence somewhat reminds that of C. canescens ssp. disjuncta (Fernald) Toivonen of North America. The present type of C. canescens has been called by several names: C. hylaea V.I.Krecz., C. canescens var. subloliacea Laest., C. canescens var. subtenella Kük., C. canescens var. subvitilis Neuman, C. canescens var. tenuis Lang and C. canescens f. laetevirens Ascherson. Plants of the present kind were considered to be partly non-genetic modifications; in any case they were not assigned any formal taxonomic status in a thorough revision of the North European species of this sedge group (Toivonen, H. 1981: Spontaneous Carex hybrids of Heleonastes and related sections in Fennoscandia. – Acta Bot. Fennica 116: 1-51.).
Created March 17, 2004.