CAREX ARCTATA Boott Drooping Wood Sedge

HABIT: Densely tufted perennial from a short, upright rootstalk; fertile culms 3-9 dm.; fruiting late May-June. SIMILAR SPECIES: Very similar to the 2 varieties of C. debilis, both of which occur in similar habitats. C. arctata can be distinguished from C. debilis by its broad leaves and short-stipitate, rather than sessile, perigynia. Superficially, this species resembles the common C. gracillima and C. prasina, but easily can be distinguished by the absence of green blades on the lowest leaf sheaths of C. arctata. TOTAL RANGE: Newfoundland to MN, s. to PA and OH