Carex vesicaria L., typical (on the left) and a
deviating morph (on the right) (Finland, Vihti, Kourla, 2001). – Image: Harri Harmaja (scanned from dried specimens). – A lowest pistillate spike of
each morph is depicted. Both kinds of plants grew intermixed in wet bushes on
the shore of an eutrophic lake. The endangered violet Viola uliginosa
possesses a considerable stand quite near-by. In the neighbourhood, Dryopteris
dilatata s. str. has a small occurrence.
The morph differs
from typical C. vesicaria: (i) the stem is smooth below he lowest spike,
(ii) the lowest pistillate spike is erect (vs. often slightly nodding), (iii)
the pistillate spikes are often slightly longer and their perigynia are somewhat
more densely packed and slightly more numerous on the average, (iv) the perigynia of the lowest pistillate spike are indistinctly arranged in more than
six rows (vs. fairly distinctly in six rows), (v) the perigynia have a bit less
yellowish tinge, (vi) the beak of the perigynia is shorter, (vii) the two teeth
of the perigynium beak are shorter and less patent, and (viii) the perigynium,
including the beak and its teeth, are practically smooth (vs. with scattered spines
upwards in the perigynia, and the teeth of the beak being densely
aculeolate).
This contribution is only based on the study of one mixed
stand. Of course, an analysis of additional materials is needed to evaluate the
possible taxonomic relevance of the variability of C. vesicaria described
above.
Created August 30, 2004.