Notes on Carex nordica

Carex nordica A.M.Molina, Acedo & Llamas (four culms on the left: Finland, Lohja, Seppälä, 1994; two culms on the right: same place, 1993). – Image: Harri Harmaja (scanned from dried specimens). – It is possible that all the culms in the image are from the same tuft which was growing intimately beside a little limestone outcrop in grassy half-open woods.
    Concerning the culms, ligule, inflorescence structure, and general appearance of the perigynia this plant, first found by me in this SW Finnish locality in 1993, appeared rather similar to C. leersii F.W.Schultz nom. cons. prop. (non C. leersii Willd.; C. leersiana Rauschert; Cyperaceae). Incorrectly, also the names C. chabertii, C. guestphalica, and C. polyphylla have been used for this species. C. leersii has not reported from Finland.
    However, as compared with information available in the literature and the herbarium, the identification remained uncertain: the inflorescence (due to female spike glumes) of the Lohja plant possessed too much brownish tinge, and a couple of details of the perigynia (such as their shortness, 3.6-4.7 mm) displayed minor deviations. The contribution of Molina, Acedo & Llamas (Bot. Journ. Linnean Soc. 156: 385-409. 2008.) appears to solve the identity of the Lohja plant: the latter represents their new species C. nordica!
     The inflorescences that are depicted in the image above are from the original plant (probably one tuft). It sometimes developed new culms almost throughout the growing season. Many inflorescences of this tuft showed luxuriance (i.e., extreme deviance from the very closely related C. muricata L.) that would appear to be infrequent in both C. leersii and C. nordica: (i) long, thread-like bracts, (ii) pedunculate lowest spikes, and (iii) several branched, or multiple spikes.
    C. muricata (ssp. muricata) occurs in many stands in the same area. Also plants that superficially appear intermediate between C. nordica and C. muricata have been found here in different years. The achene endosperm of the perigynia was lacking or scanty in at least some of the latter plants.
    The area where the above sedge was found (a small island named Seppälänsaari) is famous for its limestone outcrops and plant rarities (e.g., Cotoneaster integerrimus ("scandinavicus") and Saxifraga adscendens grow in the immediate vicinity, Inula salicina and  Ulmus laevis near-by, and Carex hartmanii farther away).
     The original, luxurious tuft of C. nordica below a little limestone cliff has not been observed for many years. The habitat has become more shady as the pines in the cut area immediately southeast of it have grown taller. However, it is possible that other tufts of the species still survive near-by in the limestone area.
    In 2002, I found in Lohja, Jalassaari (not far from Seppälänsaari) a small stand of sedges that most probably represent the same interesting taxon as that of Seppälänsaari,  i.e. C. nordica. The habitat was somewhat disturbed grassy roadside on slightly calcareous soil.
    C. nordica, either, has not been reported from Finland. The nearest reported occurrence of the species lies in the island of Gotland on the eastern coast of Sweden.