Chinese tai cao ya ke
Dai Lunkai (戴伦凯), Liang Songyun (梁松筠 Liang Song-jun), Zhang Shuren (张树仁); Tetsuo Koyama
Spike with few to numerous spikelets; spikelet one to several unisexual-flowered and with a prophyll at base; prophyll partly connate or wholly connate into a utricle; spikelets unisexual, rarely bisexual, every spikelet with a glume at base; spike one to numerous, usually few to numerous composed spicate, racemose or paniculate inflorescence, rarely single and terminal, with cladoprophyll at base; cladoprophyll sheathing-shaped or utriculiform; spikes unisexual or bisexual, bisexual spikes androgynous or gynandrous, very rarely dioecious. Flowers unisexual, non-perianthed, stigmas 2 or 3.
?? genera and ?? species: cosmopolitan; two genera and 547 species (270 endemic) in China.
[Perhaps the green-highlighted text is unnecessary as there is only one tribe in the subfamily in China??]
Chinese tai cao zu
Spikes with few to numerous spikelets; spikelets unisexual or bisexual, composed of one to few unisexual flowers, included in base by prophyll; prophyll partly connate or wholly connate into utriform, with a glume at base; spikelet-axis present or reduced, wholly enclosed in utricle or the top extended out the utricle; spikes one to numerous, unisexual or bisexual, bisexual spike androgynous or gynoandrous, usually composed spicate, racemose or paniculate inflorescence. Nutlets trigonous, plano-convex or biconvex; style thickened or not thickened at base; stigmas 23.
?? genera and ?? species: world distribution; two genera ?? species in China.
1a. Spikelet one to several flowered, bisexual or unisexual, bisexual spikelets usually androgynous, unisexual spikelets one staminate-flowered or one pistillate-flowered, included by prophyll, prophyll distinct or partly connate at margins, rarely wholly connate into utriform .......................................... 1. Kobresia
1b. Spikelet only one flowered, unisexual, included by prophyll, prophyll wholly connate into utriform 2. Carex
[Insert 1. KOBRESIA (Zhang)]
Chinese tao chao shu
Dai Lunkai (戴伦凯), Liang Songyun (梁松筠 Liang Song-jun), Zhang Shuren (张树仁); Tetsuo Koyama
Perennial herbs, rhizome stoloniferous, culms tufted or sparse, lateral or central, erect, trigonous, aphyllous-sheathed at base. Leaves basilar or basilar and cauline, flat, rarely involute or revolute on margins, linear or lorate, rarely lanceolate, sheathed at base. Bracts leaf like, rarely scale formed or setaceous, sheathed or non-sheathed. Flowers unisexual, one staminate flower or one pistillate flowers composed a spikelet, pistillate spikelet included by prophyll, prophyll wholly connate at margins into a utricle, sometimes reduced spikelet-axis present in the utricle, scaly bractlet at base. Spikes composed of many spikelets unisexual or bisexual, bisexual spike androgynous or gynandrous, usually monoecious, rarely dioecious; peduncled or not peduncled, with or without cladoprophyll at base, sheathed-shaped or utriculiform; spike one to numerous, usually numerous spikes composed spicate, racemose or paniculate inflorescence; staminate flower with 3 stamens, rarely 2 stamens, filaments distinct; pistillate flowers with one pistil; stylis slightly slender, sometimes thickened at base, persistent or deciduous, usually non-thickened at base, stigmas 3 or 2, utricles trigonous, plano-convex or biconvex, with slightly long or short beak. Nutlets rather tightly or loosely enveloped in the utricle, trigonous or plano-convex.
About 2000 species: cosmopolitan; 502 species (245 endemic) in China.
1a. Spikes numerous, all bisexual, sessile, usually densely composed spicate inflorescence; cladrophyll not presented; stigmas usually 2, rarely 3 ......................................................... 3. C. subg. Vignea
1b. Spikelets few to numerous, rarely single and terminal, usually laxly composed racemose or paniculate inflorescence, rarely composed spicate inflorescence, unisexual or bisexual, peduncled, rarely peduncles short or subsessile; cladoprophyll presented, utriculiform or sheathing-shaped; stigmas usually 3, rarely 2.
2a. Spikes bisexual, androgynous, very rarely unisexual, usually composed complex inflorescence, cladoprophyll utriculiform at spike base, with a pistillate flowers in it .... 1. C. subg. Indocarex
2b. Spikes unisexual or unisexual and bisexual, rarely all bisexual, spike one to several bearing in bract axial, rarely composed complex inflorescence, cladoprophyll sheathing-shaped, without pistillate flower in it 2. C. subg. Carex
复序薹草亚属 fu xu tai cao ya shu
Zhang Shuren (张树仁); Tetsuo Koyama
Panicle simple or compound; spikes numerous or fewer, usually bisexual and androgynous, rarely unisexual; cladopropphylls utriculiform with or without a developed pistillate flower.
?? species: ??distribution; 33 species in China.
1a. Each cladoprophyll with a developed female flower inside; inflorescence spicate; spikes numerous and dense arranged ..................................................................................... 1. C. sect. Japonicae
1b. Cladoprophylls without flower or some with flowers; inflorescence paniculate or racemose, if inflorescence racemose spikes fewer.
2a. Cladoprophyll of the spike below the terminal one with a developed pistillate flower inside, others without; rachilla present at the base of achene; inflorescence racemose ................. 2. C. sect. Mundae
2b. All cladoprophylls without flower; rachilla absent; inflorescence paniculate or spicate.
3a. Inflorescence spicate; spikes fewer, densely arranged forming capitate spicate inflorescence 9. C. sect. Scabrellae
3b. Inflorescence paniculate.
4a. Spikes unisexual, staminate ones at upper parts of inflorescence branches, pistillate ones at lower parts ................................................................................................ 8. C. sect. Hypolytroides
4b. Spikes bisexual, androgynous.
5a. Culm lateral; cauline leaves reduced and spathelike; bracts spathelike.
6a. Radical leaves fasciated, leaf blades elliptic to
linear-elliptic
........................................................................................... 6.
C. sect. Hemiscaposae
6b. Several radical leaves forming a high shoot, leaf
blades linear
................................................................................................ 7.
C. sect. Surculosae
5b. Culm central; cauline leaves well developed and leafy; bracts leafy.
7a. Leaf blades and bracts elliptic to linear-elliptic with prominent transverse veins; inflorescence branch with fewer spikes ....................................................................... 5. C. sect. Euprepes
7b. Leaf blades and bracts linear without transverse veins; inflorescence branch bearing numerous spikes, very rarely bearing fewer spikes.
8a. Spikes larger, cylindrical, 28 cm, with numerous
spikelets
.......................................................................................... 3.
C. sect. Polystachyae
8b. Spikes smaller, oblong,
less than 2 cm, with fewer spikelets
.................................................................................................... 4.
C. sect. Indicae
日本薹草组 ri ben tai cao zu
Plants small. Inflorescence spicate, single, with many densely arranged spike; spikes producing from utriculiform cladoprophylls; cladoprophyll with 1 developed pistillate flower inside. Bracts leafy, without sheaths.
One species: China, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam.
砂地薹草 sha di tai cao
Carex nikkoensis Franchet & Savatier; C. satsumensis var. longiculma Hayata; C. satsumensis var. nakaii Hayata.
Rhizome elongated and creeping. Culms loosely tufted, 720 Χ 0.15 cm, triangular, glabrous, striate. Leaves shorter or longer than culms, flat, 1.57 mm wide, slightly stiff, glabrous, basal leaf sheaths blackish brown, fibriform. Bracts linear, shorter than inflorescence, without sheaths. Inflorescence spicate, single, terminal, oblong-cylindrical, 38 Χ 11.7 cm; spikes numerous, dense and patent, androgynous, oblong, producing from cladoprophylls with a developed pistillate flower inside, several basal ones sometimes branched; staminate part of spikelet tiny, 23 mm, with 45 flowers; pistillate part with numerous and dense flowers; staminate glumes lanceolate, 2.53 mm, acuminate, membranous, pale yellow or pale brown; pistillate glumes ovate, 22.5 mm, acute, membranous, pale yellow or pale brown laterally, with 1 midrib, margins hyaline; utricles patent, slightly longer than glumes, oblong-lanceolate, bluntly trigonous, 2.53 mm, membranous, pale yellow-brown when mature, with 2 upheaving lateral nerves and several fine nerves abaxially, nerveless and paler adaxially, base contract abruptly into a short stipe, apex attenuate into a long beak, mouth of beak obliquely truncate. Achene oblong, bluntly trigonous, 1.5 mm, pale yellow when mature, base attenuate, apex not apiculate; base of style slightly thickened, stigmas 3.
Sandy places. Taiwan [Japan, Philippines, Vietnam].
秀丽薹草组 xiu li tai cao zu
Inflorescence racemose; spikes 38, long-peduncled, single or binate, bisexual, androgynous, terminal one usually 12-branched at base, branched spike producing from utriculiform cladoprophyll which with a pistillate flower inside, others producing from bract sheaths. Rachilla often present at achene base.
Two species: China, Sikkim; two species in China.
1a. Rhizome creeping; spikes 36, the lowest one single, the middle ones binate, upper ones binate or ternate; utricle elliptic, glabrous; leaf blade 2.53.5 mm wide; basal persistent sheaths pale brown 2. C. munda
1b. Rhizome not creeping;
spikes 56, all single; utricle obovate-lanceolate, pubescent; leaf blade 12
mm wide; basal persistent sheaths dark brown
3.
C. yulungshanensis
秀丽薹草 xiu li tai cao
Carex munda var. mundaeformis T. Koyama.
Rhizome creeping. Culms 2040 cm, less than 1 mm thick, trigonous, tenuous, soft, smooth. Leaves slightly longer than culms, flat, 2.53.5 mm wide, glabrous, basal persistent leaf sheaths pale brown. Bracts leafy, longer than spikes, with long sheaths; inflorescence racemose, spikes 47, distant, linear-cylindrical, 1.52 cm, bisexual, androgynous, the lowest one single and often producing from the base of culm, middle ones binate, upper ones binate or ternate, the terminal one with 12 branches, staminate part longer than pistillate part, branched spikes producing from cladoprophylls with a developed pistillate flower inside, the staminate parts of lateral spikes shorter than pistillate parts, lateral spikes producing from sheaths; staminate glumes ovate-lanceolate, 33.5 mm, acuminate, membranous, yellowish brown, 1-veined; pistillate glumes ovate or oblong, 2.53 mm, apices obtuse or emarginate, apiculate, yellowish brown laterally, green at middle, 3-nerved, margins hyaline; utricles upright, longer than glumes, elliptic, bluntly trigonous, 34 mm, membranous, yellowish green, with 2 lateral nerves and several fine nerves abaxially, base contracted into a short stipe, apex contracted abruptly into a short excurved beak, beak mouth truncate. Achene ovate, trigonous, ca. 2 mm, pale brown when mature, shortly stipulate, apex apiculate; style base slightly thickened, stigmas 3. Rachilla 0.20.3 mm, flat, if present.
Abies forests, alpine scrub and meadows; 35003900 m. SE Xizang [Sikkim].
玉龙薹草 yu long tai cao
Perennial. Rhizome densely tufted. Culms up to 50 cm, trigonous, tenuous, glabrous. Leaves shorter than culms, flat or margins involute, 12 mm wide, basal persistent leaf sheaths dark brown. Bracts leafy, shorter than inflorescence, long-sheathed; inflorescence racemose, spike 56, single, distant, linear-cylindrical, 3040 Χ 34 mm, bisexual, androgynous, the terminal one with 1(2) branches, staminate part much longer than pistillate part, branched spikes producing from cladoprophylls with a developed pistillate flower inside, the staminate parts of lateral spikes much shorter and only with few flowers, pistillate part with dense numerous flowers; peduncles of spikes tenuous, the lowest one up to 20 cm, upper ones shorter; staminate glumes oblong-lanceolate, 44.5 mm, acuminate, membranous, purplish brown; pistillate glumes oblong, 3.54 mm, papery, apices rounded, apiculate, purplish brown laterally, green at middle, 3-nerved, scabrid on nerves, margins narrowly hyaline; utricles obovate-lanceolate, compressed-trigonous, 3.54 mm, papery, yellowish green, pubescent, with 2 upheaving lateral veins and no fine veins abaxially, base attenuate into a short stipe, apex contracted into a short excurved beak, beak mouth truncate. Achene obovate-oblong, 2.22.5 mm, sessile, apex not apiculate; base of style slightly thickened, stigmas 3. Rachilla ca. 0.3 mm, flat.
* Alpine meadows and screes; 39004300 m. NW Yunnan (Lijiang).
多穗薹草组 duo sui tai cao zu
Panicle compound or simple; spikes numerous, bisexual, androgynous, producing from flowerless utriculiform prophylls, cylindrical, 28 cm.
?? species: Bhutan, China, India, Kashmir, Nepal, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sikkim, Vietnam; four species in China.
1a. Utricles inflated, red to purplish red ................................................................... 4. C. baccans
1b. Utricles not inflated, pale green to brown.
2a. Utricles ovate, flatly trigonous, ca. 3 mm,
short-beaked, margins of upper part hairy; pistillate glumes hairy abaxially;
persistent sheaths pale brown
................................................................................................................... 7.
C. composita
2b. Utricles elliptic, obovate-elliptic, obtusely trigonous, 3.54 mm, with beak of medium length, margins of upper part scabrid; pistillate glumes glabrous abaxially; persistent sheaths dark brown.
3a. Inflorescence branches few-spiked; spikes often single; pistillate glumes pale green, margins membranous and brown ............................................................................ 5. C. myosurus
3b. Inflorescence branches many-spiked; spikes binate; pistillate glumes brown, margins hyaline 6. C. eminens
浆果薹草 jiang guo tai cao
Rhizome woody. Culms densely tufted, erect and robust, 80150 Χ 0.50.6 cm, trigonous, glabrous, leafy below middle. Leaves longer than culms, flat, 812 mm wide, glabrous abaxially, scabrid adaxially, basal persistent leaf sheaths red-brown, reticulate. Bracts leafy, longer than inflorescence, long-sheathed; panicle compound, 1035 cm; inflorescence branches 38, single, oblong, 56 Χ 34 cm; bractlets glumaceous, lanceolate, 3.54 mm, leathery, only the basal one with short sheath, others sheathless, awned; peduncles of inflorescence branches rigid, the basal one 1214 cm, upper ones gradually shorter, usually enclosed in sheaths; inflorescence axes bluntly triquetrous, nearly glabrous; spikes producing from utriculiform cladoprophylls, numerous, cylindrical, 36 cm, bisexual and androgynous; staminate part of spike tenuous, few-flowered, 1/2 or 1/3 length of pistillate part; pistillate part with dense and numerous flowers; staminate glumes broadly ovate, 22.5 mm, awned, membranous, chestnut; pistillate glumes broadly ovate, 22.5 mm, awned, papery, purplish brown or chestnut, with 1 green midvein, margins hyaline; utricles obovate-globose or nearly globose, inflated, 3.54.5 mm, nearly leathery, red to purplish red when mature, shining, with many vertical veins, upper margins hairy, shortly stipulate at base, shortly beaked at apex, beak mouth minutely bidentate. Achene elliptic, trigonous, 33.5 mm, brown when mature, shortly stipulate at base, apex apiculate; style base not thickened, stigmas 3.
Wood margins, riversides; 2002700 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan [India, Malaysia, Nepal, Vietnam].
鼠尾薹草 shu wei tai cao
Carex myosurus subsp. spiculata (Boott) Kόkenthal; ??what is basionym: something spiculata Boott.
Rhizome woody. Culms tufted, robust, 80120 Χ ca. 0.3 cm, trigonous, scabrid, leafy below middle. Leaves longer than culms, flat, 57 mm wide, glabrous abaxially, scabrid adaxially, basal persistent leaf sheaths dark brown, fibriform. Bracts leafy, longer than inflorescence, long-sheathed; panicle compound, 2030 cm, with 36 inflorescence branches; inflorescence branches racemose, single, 58 cm, 24-spiked; bractlets glumaceous; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, 311 cm; axes of inflorescence branch triquetrous, scabrid; spikes single, cylindrical, 2060 Χ 3.54.5 mm, bisexual and androgynous; staminate part of spike 1/41/2 or very rarely same length as pistillate part; pistillate part with dense and numerous flowers; staminate glumes oblong-lanceolate, 3.54 mm, membranous, pale green; pistillate glumes oblong, 2.53 mm, acuminate, shortly awned, papery, green or pale green at middle and pale brown laterally, with 1 scabrid midvein, upper part hyaline; utricles longer than glumes, obovate-lanceolate, trigonous, 44.5 mm, papery, pale green, with several fine veins, glabrous or lateral keels hairy, base attenuate, nearly sessile, shortly beaked at apex, beak 1/4 or 1/5 length of utricle, beak mouth minutely bidentate. Achene closely enclosed in utricle, elliptic, trigonous, dark brown when mature, shortly stipulate, apex nearly not apiculate; style base slightly thickened, stigmas 3.
Evergreen forest undergrowth and margins; 12002000 m. SE Xizang, NW Yunnan [India, Myanmar, Sikkim, Vietnam].
显异薹草 xian yi tai cao
Carex composita Boott var. eminens (Nees) Boeckeler; C. floribunda Boeckeler; C. peiana F. T. Wang & Tang.
Rhizome woody. Culms tufted, tall and robust, 80120 Χ ca. 0.30.4 cm, trigonous, smooth. Leaves basal and cauline, longer than culms, flat, 58 mm wide, glabrous abaxially, scabrid adaxially, basal persistent leaf sheaths dark brown, fibriform. Bracts leafy, longer than inflorescence, long-sheathed; panicle compound, 38-branched; inflorescence branches simply paniculate, single or binate, broadly ovate, 58 Χ 23 cm, many-spiked; bractlets glumaceous; peduncles of inflorescence branches rigid, 415 Χ 0.10.2 cm, scabrid; axes of inflorescence branches triquetrous, densely hairy on edges; spikes single or 23 clustered, cylindrical, 26 cm, bisexual and androgynous; staminate part of spike 1/2 or same length of pistillate part; pistillate part with dense and numerous flowers; staminate glumes oblong-lanceolate, 34 mm, membranous, brown; pistillate glumes oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 2.53 mm, acute, shortly awned, papery, brown or purplish brown, with 1 scabrid or smooth midvein, margins hyaline; utricles obovate-lanceolate, bluntly trigonous, 34 mm, membranous, yellowish green with brown spots, lateral keels hairy, with few fine veins, base attenuate, apex contracted into short excurved beak, beak 1/4 length of utricle, beak mouth minutely bidentate. Achene closely enclosed in utricle, elliptic, trigonous, ca. 2 mm, dark brown when mature, shortly stipulate, apex nearly not apiculate; style base slightly thickened, stigmas 3.
Evergreen forest margins, grasslands, slopes, roadsides; 3002000 m. Hunan, Sichuan, Xizang [Bhutan, Kashmir, Nepal, Sikkim].
复序薹草 fu xu tai cao
Rhizome woody. Culms tufted, 4060 Χ 0.150.2 cm, trigonous, smooth. Leaves basal and cauline, flat, 23 mm wide, glabrous abaxially, prominently scabrid adaxially, basal persistent leaf sheaths pale brown, fibriform. Bracts leafy, longer than inflorescence, long-sheathed; panicle simple, 2030 cm, with 24 inflorescence branches; inflorescence branches racemose, single, 58 cm, 38-spiked; bractlets glumaceous; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, 58 cm, usually not exerted from sheaths; axes of inflorescence branches loosely hairy on edges; spikes cylindrical, 26 cm, bisexual and androgynous; staminate part of spike usually 1/2 or rarely same length of pistillate part; pistillate part with many dense flowers; staminate glumes lanceolate, 33.5 mm, membranous, brown or brown laterally and pale green at middle, apex apiculate, margins narrowly hyaline; pistillate glumes oblong-lanceolate, 2.53 mm, acuminate, shortly awned, membranous, loosely pubescent, yellowish green at middle and reddish brown or purplish brown laterally, with 3 veins, margins narrowly hyaline; utricles obovate or ovate-globose, flatly trigonous, slightly inflated, 33.5 mm, papery, pale green, with several fine veins, upper part with brown spots and loosely pubescent, nearly sessile, shortly beaked at apex, beak mouth minutely bidentate. Achene loosely enclosed in utricle, ovate to triangular-ovate, trigonous, ca, 1.5 mm, brown when mature, shortly stipulate, apex with contorted apiculus; base of style slightly thickened, stigmas 3.
Forests, grasslands; 13002500 m. Guizhou, Yunnan [Bhutan, India].
印度薹草组 in du tai cao zu
Panicle compound; spikes numerous, bisexual, androgynous, producing from flowerless utriculiform cladoprophylls, oblong, less than 2 cm; utricles not inflated or slightly inflated, several-veined.
?? species: ??distribution; 12 species in China.
1a. Female glume awnless, if awned, hairy abaxially; utricle smaller, less than 3 mm, brown to reddish brown or pale brown with dense reddish brown spots and lines; style base not thickened or slightly thickened.
2a. Pistillate glume awned or apiculate, hairy abaxially; upper part of utricle hairy.
3a. Inflorescence branch ovate-triangular, single; utricle pale brown, with dense brown spots and lines, beak excurved, slightly shorter than 1/2 of utricle; style base slightly thickened .... 18. C. continua
3b. Inflorescence branch oblong-lanceolate, usually binate;
utricles reddish brown, beak excurved, as long as 1/2 of utricle; style base
not thickened
19.
C. rafflesiana
2b. Female glume awnless, glabrous abaxially; utricle glabrous.
4a. Inflorescence branches compact; pistillate glumes and utricles pale brown or pale yellowish green or pale green, sometimes with scattered brown spots and lines ..................... 17. C. subfilicinoides
4b. Inflorescence branches patent and lax; pistillate glumes and utricles brown to reddish brown or pale brown with dense reddish brown spots and lines.
5a. Utricle elliptic or narrowly elliptic, with many fine veins, beak 1/2 length of utricle; inflorescence branch triangular-ovate ......................................................................................... 15. C. filicina
5b. Utricle ovate-oblong, with several upheaving veins, beak slightly shorter than 1/2 utricle; inflorescence branch elliptic ................................................................................ 16 . C. doisutepensis
1b. Pistillate glume aristate; utricle larger, 3.510 mm, pale brown to pale green; style base usually thickened.
6a. Staminate part of spike oblong, 67 Χ 23 mm; utricle 5.510 mm, beak thin and long, nearly 2 times longer than utricle body; inflorescence branches loosely fewer-spiked; leaf blade 22.5 mm 8. C. commixta
6b. Staminate part of spike oblong-cylindrical or cylindrical, 58 Χ ca. 1 mm; utricle 3.55 mm, beak shorter than or as long as utricle body; inflorescence branches many-spiked (only C. tenuipaniculata P. C. Li with few spikes); leaf blade 512 mm.
7a. Pistillate glume with excurved or twisting awn, awn 12 times longer than glume.
8a. Inflorescence branches compact; staminate part longer than or as long as pistillate part of spike; utricle ovate or elliptic, trigonous, slightly inflated, green, pale brown when dried; pistillate glume yellowish brown, 1/21/3 length of utricle .................................................................... 9. C. indica
8b. Inflorescence branches lax and outspread; staminate
part 1/31/5 length of pistillate part of spike; utricle rhomboid-ovate,
trigonous, not inflated, pale green; pistillate glume yellowish white, 1/4
length of utricle
......................................................................................................... 10.
C. indiciformis
7b. Pistillate glume with straight awn, awn shorter than glume.
9a. Pistillate glume yellowish white, with dense brown spots and lines; axes of inflorescence branches densely hairy; mouth of utricle beak bidentate.
10a. Inflorescence branch many-spiked; peduncle and axis of inflorescence branch rigid; utricle elliptic 11. C. cruciata
10b. Inflorescence branch 38-spiked; peduncle and axis of inflorescence branch flaccid; utricle narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate .............................................................. 12. C. tenuipaniculata
9b. Pistillate glume brown or pale yellowish green; axis of inflorescence branch slightly hairy or glabrous; mouth of utricle beak obliquely truncate.
11a. Pistillate glume brown, emarginate, falling off with utricle when mature; inflorescence branch lax; utricle narrowly elliptic, ca. 5 mm; ligule of cladoprophyll 2 times longer than body 13. C. deciduisquama
11b. Pistillate glume pale yellowish green, straw yellow when dried, apex rounded or obtuse, persistent; inflorescence branch compact; utricle oblong or ovate-oblong, ca. 3.5 mm; ligule of cladoprophyll nearly as long as body .................................................................... 14. C. stramentitia
细长喙薹草 xi chang hui tai cao
Carex chuniana F. T. Wang & Tang; [C. hainanensis Merrill et al., nom. nud.]; C. humbertii F. T. Wang & Tang (1949), not Chermezon (1926); C. hypolytrifolia T. Koyama; C. spatiosa Boott.
Rhizome thick. Culms tufted, erect and robust, 30100 Χ 0.30.5 cm, trigonous, smooth. Leaves basal and cauline, linear, 22.5 cm wide, glabrous or slightly scabrid, persistent sheaths brown, fibriform. Bracts leafy, longer than inflorescence, long-sheathed; panicle simple or compound, 2530 cm, 15-branched; inflorescence branches ovate-triangular, 410 Χ 26 cm, single, sometimes binate; peduncles of inflorescence branches rigid, upper part hairy, trigonous, lowest one 1020 cm, upper ones gradually shorter; inflorescence axes trigonous, hairy on edges; bractlets glumaceous, 11.5 mm, hairy abaxially, with awns 25 mm; cladoprophylls utriculiform, without flower, hairy abaxially; spikes numerous, producing from cladoprophylls, bisexual, androgynous, 718 mm; staminate part of spike nearly oblong, 67 Χ 23 mm, usually longer than pistillate part, sometimes as long as pistillate part; pistillate par elliptic, many-flowered; staminate glumes narrowly lanceolate, 67 mm, shortly awned, membranous, pale yellow or pale brown, hairy abaxially; pistillate glumes lanceolate, 4.55.5 mm, acuminate or emarginate, membranous, pale yellowish white, pale greenish white or pale brown, hairy abaxially, mid-nerve extending into scabrid awn. Utricles shorter than glumes, nearly rhomboid, bluntly trigonous, 5.510 mm, pale brown or pale green, many-nerved, hairy, stipitate at base, apex elongated into beak, beak to 2/3 length of utricle, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes elliptic, trigonous, 33.5 mm, brown when mature; base of style slightly thickened, stigma 3.
Forest margins and undergrowth; 6001300 m. Hainan [Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam].
印度薹草 in du tai cao
Rhizome thick, tufted, woody. Culms 40100 Χ 0.20.25 cm, trigonous, smooth. Leaves basal and cauline, longer than culms, flat, 68 mm wide, scabrid, persistent sheaths dark brown, fibriform. Bracts leafy, longer than inflorescence, long-sheathed; panicle compound, 2030 cm, 56-branched; inflorescence branches ovate-oblong, 45 Χ 2.32.5 cm, single; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, trigonous, lowest one 78 cm, upper ones gradually shorter, hairy on edges; inflorescence axes trigonous, hairy; bractlets glumaceous, ca. 1.5 mm, emarginate, with awns 46 mm; cladoprophylls utriculiform, without flower; spikes numerous, producing from cladoprophylls, bisexual, androgynous, 610 mm; staminate part of spike longer than or as long as pistillate part; pistillate part 28-flowered; staminate glumes lanceolate, 57 mm, membranous, pale yellow at middle, pale brown laterally, with 1 mid-nerve, with awns 23 mm; pistillate glumes ovate or oblong, 22.5 mm, papery, acute or emarginate, with awns 3 mm, pale yellowish brown or yellowish white at middle, 3-nerved, pale brown laterally, margins broadly hyaline. Utricles patent, ovate or elliptic, trigonous, slightly inflated, ca. 3.5 mm, papery, pale brown, many-nerved, loosely pubescent, nearly sessile, apex elongated into beak of medium length, beak slightly shorter than utricle body, hairy laterally, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes oblong, trigonous, ca. 2 mm, brown when mature; base of style prominently thickened, stigma 3.
Slopes; 800900 m. Guangxi, Guizhou [S Asia to Australia].
印度型薹草 in du xing tai cao
Rhizome thick, woody. Culms tufted, 60100 Χ 0.20.4 cm, trigonous, smooth. Leaves basal and cauline, longer than culms, flat, 815 mm wide, glabrous, persistent sheaths pale brown, fibriform. Bracts leafy, longer than inflorescence branches, long-sheathed; panicle compound, 46-branched; inflorescence branches patent, loose, triangular-ovate, 58 Χ 45 cm, single; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, trigonous, lowest one 1214 cm, upper ones gradually shorter, smooth or upper part hairy; inflorescence axes trigonous, hairy on edges; bractlets glumaceous, 1 mm, membranous, glabrous, with awns 35 mm; cladoprophylls utriculiform, without flower; spikes numerous, producing from cladoprophylls, loose and patent, bisexual, androgynous, terminal one 1020 mm, lateral ones 516 mm; staminate part of spike oblong, 1/3 or 1/5 length of pistillate part; pistillate part of terminal one 69-flowered, pistillate parts of lateral ones 47-flowered; staminate glumes lanceolate, 2.53 mm, membranous, pale green, acuminate, with awns 11.5 mm; pistillate glumes ovate or oblong, 11.5 mm, membranous, pale yellowish white, apex rounded or emarginate. Utricles obliquely patent, much longer than glumes, ovate or rhomboid-ovate, trigonous, 44.2 mm, papery, pale green, many-nerved, apex attenuate into beak of medium length, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes ovate or rhomboid-ovate, trigonous, ca. 2 mm, brown when mature; base of style thickened and conical, stigma 3.
* Forest undergrowth, shady slopes; 4001000 m. Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Yunnan.
十字薹草 shi zi tai cao
Carex bengalensis Roxburgh, Fl. Ind., ed. 1832, 3: 572. 1832; C. cruciata subsp. rubrobrunnea (Ohwi) T. Koyama; C. cruciata var. rubrobrunnea Ohwi; C. hakkuensis Hayata; C. valida Nees, p.p.
Rhizome thick, woody, with stolons. Culms tufted, 4090 Χ 0.30.5 cm, trigonous, smooth. Leaves basal and cauline, longer than culms, flat, 413 mm wide, scabrid abaxially, glabrous adaxially, persistent sheaths dark brown, fibriform. Bracts leafy, longer than inflorescence branches, long-sheathed; panicle compound; inflorescence branches ovate-triangular, 415 Χ 36 cm, usually single, rarely binate; peduncles of inflorescence branches rigid, bluntly trigonous, lowest one 1018 cm, upper ones gradually shorter, smooth; inflorescence axes trigonous, hairy; bractlets glumaceous, ca. 1.5 mm, hairy abaxially; cladoprophylls utriculiform, without flower, several-veined and hairy abaxially; spikes very few, producing from cladoprophylls, patent horizontally, bisexual, androgynous, 512 mm; staminate part of spike nearly as long as pistillate part; staminate glumes lanceolate, 2.5 mm, membranous, acuminate, mucronate, pale brownish white, with dense brown spots and short lines; pistillate glumes ovate, ca. 2 mm, membranous, obtuse, shortly awned, 3-nerved. Utricles longer than glumes, elliptic, trigonous, inflated, 33.2 mm, pale brownish white, with brown spots and short lines, smooth or upper part loosely hairy, with several upheaving veins, nearly sessile, apex attenuate into beak of medium length, beak 1/3 length of utricle, hairy or glabrous laterally, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes ovate-elliptic, trigonous, ca. 1.5 mm, dark brown when mature; base of style thickened, stigma 3.
Forest margins, grasslands, roadsides; 3002500 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [India, Indonesia, Japan, Kashmir, Nepal, Sikkim, Vietnam; Madagascar].
细序薹草 xi xu tai cao
Rhizome short. Culms tufted, 3040 Χ ca. 0.2 cm, slender, trigonous, nearly glabrous. Leaves cauline, longer than culms, flat, 45 mm wide, hairy along midvein abaxially and later glabrescent, scabrid adaxially, persistent sheaths brown. Bracts leafy, longer than inflorescence branches, long-sheathed; panicle compound, ca. 20 cm, with 34 distant inflorescence branches; inflorescence branches oblong, 1025 Χ 46 mm, usually single, loosely 38-spiked; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, trigonous, hairy on edges, lowest one to 18 cm, upper ones gradually shorter; inflorescence axes filiform, soft and drooping, acutely trigonous, densely hairy; bractlets glumaceous, ovate, ca. 0.8 mm, membranous, apex with 3.55 mm awns; cladoprophylls utriculiform, without flower; spikes patent, producing from cladoprophylls, bisexual, androgynous, 45 mm; staminate part of spike as long as pistillate part; pistillate part 25-flowered; staminate glumes lanceolate, 2.53 mm, membranous, acuminate, shortly awned, pale brown, with dense brown spots and short lines, with 1midvein; pistillate glumes ovate, 2.53 mm, membranous, mucronate, pale brown, with dense brown spots and short lines, with 1 midvein. Utricles narrowly elliptic or lanceolate, trigonous, slightly inflated, 33.5 mm, papery, pale brown, with dense brown spots and short lines, upper part loosely hairy, with 2 to several upheaving veins, nearly sessile, apex contracted into beak of medium length, beak slightly shorter than utricle body, beak mouth minutely bidentate. Achenes narrowly elliptic, trigonous, ca. 2 mm, yellowish brown when mature, shortly stipitate, apex not mucronate; base of style slightly thickened, stigma 3.
* Forest undergrowth; ca. 2100 m. C Yunnan (Kunming).
落鳞薹草 luo lin tai cao
Rhizome short. Culms tufted, up to 1 m high, ca. 3 mm thick, trigonous, smooth. Leaves basal and cauline, flat, 57 mm wide, scabrid abaxially, glabrous adaxially, persistent sheaths dark brown, fibriform. Bracts leafy, nearly as long as or slightly shorter than inflorescence branches, long-sheathed; panicle compound, ca. 20 cm; inflorescence branches oblong, 47 Χ 2.53 cm, single; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, trigonous, nearly smooth, lowest one 1214 cm; inflorescence axes trigonous, loosely hairy; bractlets glumaceous, oblong, 2.53.5 mm, apex emarginate with ca. 2 mm awns; cladoprophylls utriculiform, without flower; spikes numerous, distant, slightly patent, producing from cladoprophylls, bisexual, androgynous, cylindrical, 12 cm, terminal one to 3 cm; staminate part of spike as long as pistillate part, with over 10 flowers; pistillate with 210 slightly distant flowers; staminate glumes oblong, 3.54.5 mm, emarginate with mucrone, pale brown, with 1 midvein, not deciduous when mature; pistillate glumes oblong, 34 mm, papery, emarginate with up to 2 mm awns, pale brown, 3-veined at middle, deciduous when mature. Utricles narrowly elliptic, trigonous, slightly inflated, ca. 5 mm, papery, pale yellowish brown, many-nerved, sessile, apex attenuate into long beak, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes narrowly elliptic, trigonous, ca. 2.5 mm, brown when mature, not stipitate, apex mucronate; base of style thickened and conical, stigma 3.
* Woods; 23002500 m. NW Yunnan (Gongshan).
草黄薹草 cao huang tai cao
Rhizome long, obliquely elongate, woody. Culms tufted, 3075 cm, bluntly trigonous, smooth. Leaves basal and cauline, nearly as long as culms, flat, 12 mm wide, persistent sheaths dark brown, fibriform. Bracts leafy, longer than inflorescence branches, long-sheathed; panicle compound, 2030 cm; inflorescence branches 35, triangular-ovate, 57.5 Χ 45 cm, single; peduncles of inflorescence branches rigid, trigonous, scabrid on edges; inflorescence axes sharply trigonous, hairy; bractlets glumaceous, with long awns; cladoprophylls utriculiform, without flower; spikes numerous, dense, obliquely patent, producing from cladoprophylls, bisexual, androgynous, oblong, 1012 mm; staminate part of spike longer than pistillate part, with over 10 flowers; pistillate part with over 10 flowers; staminate glumes oblong-lanceolate, 34 mm, papery, obtuse and mucronate, pale yellow; pistillate glumes ovate-oblong, 2.53 mm, papery, obtuse or rounded with short awns, straw yellow when dried, slightly shining, 3-veined, margins hyaline. Utricles longer than glumes, oblong or ovate-oblong, trigonous, slightly inflated, ca. 3.5 mm, brownish green, many-nerved, nearly sessile, apex contracted into long beak, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes broadly ovate, trigonous, 2.53 mm; base of style thickened, stigma 3.
Grasslands by woods; 1001000 m. Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan [India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sikkim, Thailand, Vietnam].
蕨状薹草 jue zhuang tai cao
Cyperus caricinus D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal 39. 1825; Carex caricina (D. Don) N. Ghildyal & U. C. Bhattacharyya, J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. 7: 602. 1986 [Why is this not the correct name? 1825 vs. 1834]; C. filicina var. meiogyna (Nees) Strachey; C. filicina var. subdensa F. T. Wang & Tang; C. filicina subsp. pseudofilicina (Hayata) T. Koyama; C. meiogyna Nees, p. p.; C. pseudofilicina Hayata.
Rhizome thick, woody. Culms densely tufted, 4090 Χ 0.20.25 cm, sharply trigonous, glabrous. Leaves longer rarely shorter than culmes, flat, 514 mm wide, scabrid abaxially or glabrous on both surfaces, persistent sheaths purplish red or purplish brown, fibriform. Bracts leafy, longer than inflorescence branches, long-sheathed; panicle compound, 2050 cm; inflorescence branches 48, triangular-ovate, 415 Χ 37 cm, single, rarely binate; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, trigonous, lowest one 1020 cm, upper ones gradually shorter, loosely hairy on edges; inflorescence axes sharply trigonous, hairy; bractlets glumaceous, 23 mm, apex long-awned; cladoprophylls utriculiform, without flower; spikes numerous, oblong or oblong-cylindrical, patent or slightly patent, producing from cladoprophylls, bisexual, androgynous, 515 mm, terminal one 820 mm; staminate part of spike shorter than pistillate part, 37-flowered; pistillate part 216-flowered; staminate glumes lanceolate, 23 mm, acuminate, membranous, brown or reddish brown; pistillate glumes ovate or lanceolate, 1.52 mm, membranous, acuminate or acute, brown, reddish brown or pale brown with reddish brown spots and short lines, glabrous, with 1 midvein. Utricles elliptic or narrowly elliptic, trigonous, ca. 3 mm, membranous, lower part yellowish white, upper part brown or reddish brown, or wholly pale brown with reddish brown spots and short lines, glabrous, with 2 lateral veins and several fine veins abaxially, nearly sessile, apex contracted into long excurved beak, beak 1/2 length of utricle, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes elliptic, trigonous, ca. 1.5 mm, yellowish brown when mature; base of style not thickened, stigma 3.
Forests, grasslands; 12002800 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam].
景洪薹草 jing hong tai cao
Rhizome thick, creeping. Culms up to 150 cm, trigonous, glabrous. Leaves basal and cauline, linear, 34 mm wide, flat or fold, persistent sheaths brown, fibriform. Bracts leafy, longer than inflorescence branches, sheath to 4 cm; panicle compound, up to 60 cm; inflorescence branches 47, oblong-elliptic, single; peduncles of inflorescence branches long, smooth; inflorescence axes sharply trigonous, densely hairy; spikes numerous, patent or horizontally patent, bisexual, androgynous, ovate-elliptic, 48 Χ 3.55 mm; staminate part of spike shortly linear, slightly shorter than or as long as pistillate part, fewer-flowered; pistillate part 36-flowered; staminate glumes lanceolate, ca. 2.5 mm, brownish ferruginous; pistillate glumes ovate-triangular, 1.82.3 mm, membranous, acute with excurved mucrones, brown with dark brown spots, with 1 midvein. Utricles ovate-oblong, trigonous, inflated, 2.53.5 mm, patent, membranous, with many upheaving veins, base attenuate, apex contracted abruptly into long beak, beak mouth deeply bidentate. Achenes broadly elliptic, trigonous, 1.41.5 mm, blackish brown when mature; base of style not thickened, stigma 3.
S Yunnan (Xishuangbanna) [N Thailand].
近蕨薹草 jin jue tai cao
Rhizome with thick fibers. Culms tufted, 5090 Χ 0.250.3 cm, trigonous, glabrous. Leaves basal and cauline, longer than culms, flat, 712 mm wide, glabrous or scabrid along veins abaxially, prominently scabrid adaxially, persistent sheaths purplish red, fibriform. Bracts leafy, longer than inflorescence branches, long-sheathed; panicle compound, 2050 cm; inflorescence branches 49, distant, lanceolate, binate, rarely single, 3.59 Χ 1.53 cm; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, 1020 cm, obtusely trigonous, upper part pubescent; inflorescence axes sharply trigonous, loosely hairy; bractlets glumaceous, ca. 1 mm, loosely hairy, awned; spikes numerous, producing from flowerless utriculiform cladoprophylls, bisexual, androgynous, ovate or oblong, 510 mm; staminate part of spike thinner and shorter than pistillate part, 46-flowered; pistillate part 512-flowered; staminate glumes lanceolate, ca. 3 mm, acuminate, membranous, yellowish green, with 1 mid-nerve; pistillate glumes ovate, 1.71.8 mm, membranous, apex obtuse, pale green at middle, white or pale brown laterally, with 1 midvein, glabrous. Utricles patent, elliptic, 33.5 mm, membranous, pale brown or pale yellowish green, sometimes with brown spots and short lines, veinless abaxially, with 24 upheaving veins adaxially, glabrous or upper part scabrid, nearly sessile, apex attenuate into excurved beak of medium length, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes elliptic, trigonous, ca. 1.5 mm, sessile, apex not mucronate; base of style slightly thickened, stigma 3.
* Evergreen forests, shady slopes, roadsides; 12002900 m. Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan.
连续薹草 lian xu tia cao
Carex rafflesiana Boott var. continua (C. B. Clarke) Kόkenthal.
Rhizome with thick fibers. Culms tufted, 6090 Χ ca. 0.3 cm, trigonous, glabrous. Leaves basal and cauline, longer than culms, flat, 68 mm wide, scabrid along margins and abaxially, glabrous adaxially, persistent sheaths dark brown, fibriform. Bracts leafy, longer than inflorescence, long-sheathed; panicle compound, ca. 30 cm; inflorescence branches 59, ovate-triangular, single, sometimes binate, 38 Χ 1.53 cm; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, the lowest one to 14 cm, upper ones gradually shorter, trigonous, glabrous; inflorescence axes sharply trigonous, densely hairy on edges; bractlets glumaceous, ca. 1.5 mm, loosely hairy abaxially, with long scabrid awns; spikes numerous, producing from flowerless utriculiform cladoprophylls, patent, bisexual, androgynous, oblong-cylindrical, 410 mm; staminate part of spike shorter than pistillate part, oblong, densely 410-flowered; pistillate part 39-flowered, slightly dense; staminate glumes lanceolate, 1.72.5 mm, acuminate, mucronate, membranous, pale brownish white with dense brown spots and short lines, with 1 mid-nerve, upper margins hairy; pistillate glumes ovate, 1.82.5 mm, membranous, apex acute, awned or mucronate, pale brownish white with dense brown spots and short lines, glabrescent later, with 1 midvein. Utricles elliptic, trigonous, 2.73 mm, membranous, pale brownish green with brown spots and short lines, with several upheaving veins adaxially, upper part scabrid, base nearly sessile, apex attenuate into excurved long beak, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes elliptic, trigonous, ca. 1.7 mm, nearly sessile, apex not mucronate; base of style slightly thickened, stigma 3.
Scrub on slopes; ca. 1100 m. S Yunnan [India, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Sikkim, Thailand, Vietnam].
红头薹草 hong tou tai cao
Carex bengalensis Roxburgh var. scaberrina Boeckler; C. cruciata Wahlenberg var. rafflesiana (Boott) Kern & Nooteboom; C. rafflesiana subsp. scaberrina (Boeckler) T. Koyama; C. rafflesiana var. scaberrina (Boeckler) Kόkenthal; C. scaberrina (Boeckler) C. B. Clarke.
Rhizome short, nearly woody. Culms tufted or single, 80200 Χ 0.30.5 cm, trigonous, smooth, base covered by 12 reddish brown sheaths. Leaves shorter than culms, flat, 1013 mm wide, sheaths long, reddish brown, persistent sheaths fibriform. Bracts leafy, long-sheathed, the lowest one as long as or longer than inflorescence, upper ones gradually shorter; panicle compound, ca. 20 cm; inflorescence branches 811, oblong-lanceolate, usually binate, 515 cm, slightly dense, lower part branched; spikes numerous, ovate-oblong, 36 mm, bisexual, androgynous; staminate part of spike nearly as long as pistillate part; pistillate glumes ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 1.52 mm, apex obtuse or acute, white with reddish brown spots, scabrid, midvein extending into mucro. Utricles oblong or elliptic-oblong, trigonous, 2.73.5 mm, herbaceous, reddish brown, with several veins, upper part hairy, apex attenuate into beak, beak excurved, nearly same length of utricle body, beak mouth minutely bidentate. Achenes elliptic, trigonous, ca. 1.5 mm; base of style not thickened, stigma 3.
Forest margins, grasslands on slopes; 500600 m. Taiwan [Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand;Australia].
菰叶薹草组 gu ye tai cao zu
Description??
?? species: ??distribution; one species (endemic) in China.
菰叶薹草 gu ye tai cao
Rhizome short. Culms tufted, 6070 Χ ca. 0.2 cm, obtusely trigonous, lower part only bearing sheaths, from middle up bearing leaves. Leaves loosely arranged, longer than culms, leaf blades narrowly elliptic or lanceolate, 1525 Χ 22.5 cm, cuneate at base, apex acuminate, scabrid along veins, with prominent transverse veins, margins loosely hairy; sheaths 1.42 cm, glabrous, sheath mouth loosely pubescent and then glabrescent. Bracts same as leaves, much longer than inflorescence branches; panicle compound, 56 Χ 11.5 cm; inflorescence branches 1416, spicate or spikelike, 812 mm, single, producing from axil of bract; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, glabrous; axes of inflorescence branches sharply trigonous, hairy on edges; bractlets glumaceous, ca. 2 mm, awned; cladoprophylls utriculiform, ca. 1 mm, apex ligulate, ligule as long as cladoprophyll, hairy along veins; spikes bisexual, androgynous, 56 mm; staminate part of spike slightly longer than pistillate part; pistillate part fewer-flowered; pistillate glumes ovate, ca. 2 mm, hairy, margins erose, midvein extending into scabrid awn. Utricles ovate-elliptic, ca. 3 mm, densely hairy, apex attenuate into beak, beak mouth minutely bidentate. Achenes immature.
* ??Habitat; ??altitude. SE Yunnan (Pingbian).
花葶薹草组 hua ting tai cao zu
Description??
?? species: ??distribution; eight species in China.
1a. Inflorescence branch with 1 or 2 (3) spikes; leaf blade replicate; utricle with many upheaving veins.
2a. Inflorescence branches single, rarely binate; spike linear-cylindrical; basal leaf single 27 . C. kucyniakii
2b. Inflorescence branches binate or ternate; spike oblong;
23 basal leaves tufted
....................................................................................................... 28
. C. peliosanthifolia
1b. Inflorescence branch with 10 more or numerous spikes; leaf blade flat; utricle only with 2 lateral veins abaxially.
3a. Panicle simple, usually with only one terminal branch, rarely with 12 lateral branches; culms soft.
4a. Leaf blade linear, margins flat; staminate part of spike cylindrical, 35 Χ 1 mm; culm hairy and glabrescent later .............................................................................. 25. C. ypsilandrifolia
4b. Leaf blades narrowly elliptic, margins replicate; staminate part of spike circular or oblong, 2.54 Χ 3 mm; culm hairy .............................................................................................. 26. C. lingii
3b. Panicle compound, with several branches; culm rigid.
5a. Inflorescence branch paniculate, with 10 to 20 more spikes; staminate part of spike linear-lanceolate 21. C. scaposa
5b. Inflorescence nearly corymbose, with fewer spikes; staminate part of spike circular, oblong or oblong-cylindrical.
6a. Leaf blade linear or linear-oblanceolate; utricle ovate, beak only 1/4 length of utricle 24. C. liouana
6b. Leaf blade narrowly elliptic, narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, narrowly elliptic-oblanceolate, rarely narrowly elliptic-linear; utricle elliptic, beak slightly shorter than 1/2 of utricle.
7a. Margins of leaf blades densely ciliate; petiole loosely or densely hairy; achene elliptic 22. C. densifimbriata
7b. Margins of leaf blades smooth; petiole glabrous; achene ovate ................ 23. C. adrienii
花葶薹草 hua ting tai cao
Carex pandanophylla E. G. Camus; C. scaposa var. marantacea Raymond.
Rhizome woody. Culms lateral, 2080 Χ 0.10.3 mm, trigonous, base with leafless pale brown sheaths. Leaves basal and cauline; basal leaves tufted, longer or shorter than culms, elliptic to elliptic-linear, 1035 Χ 25 cm, acuminate, base attenuate, glabrous on both surfaces or scabrid abaxially, sometimes with transverse veins; petiole up to 30 cm, glabrous, sometimes leaf base extending downwards forming narrow wings; cauline leaves spathelike, brown, papery, glabrous. Bracts spathelike, with blades, usually shorter than inflorescence branches; panicle compound, 3 to several-branched; inflorescence branches paniculate, triangular-ovate, 23.5 Χ 1.53 cm, single or binate; peduncles of inflorescence branches rigid, trigonous, 48 cm, densely pubescent; axes of inflorescence branches sharply trigonous, densely pubescent; bractlets glumaceous, lanceolate, 45 mm, brownish white with deep brown spots; spikes about 1020, producing from utriculiform flowerless cladoprophylls, patent, bisexual, androgynous, oblong-cylindrical, 514 mm; staminate part of spike linear-lanceolate, usually shorter than pistillate part, fewer-flowered; pistillate part 27-flowered; staminate glumes ovate-lanceolate, 33.5 mm, membranous, pale brown; pistillate glumes ovate, 22.5 mm, membranous, acuminate, brown laterally, middle part yellowish green with brown spots and 3 veins, margins ciliate when young; utricles elliptic, trigonous, 34 mm, papery, pale yellowish green with dense brown spots, with 2 lateral veins abaxially, glabrous, nearly sessile, apex contracted gradually into beak of medium length, beak slightly shorter than half of utricle, beak mouth emarginate. Achenes elliptic, trigonous, 1.52.2 mm, brown when mature; base of style not thickened, stigma 3.
Forest undergrowth, valleys, shady slopes, cliffs, watersides; 2001500 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Vietnam].
1a. Staminate part of spike 1013 mm, much longer than
pistillate part
................................................................................................................ 21b.
var. dolicostachya
1b. Staminate part of spike less than 7 mm, usually shorter than pistillate part.
2a. Leaves glabrous on both surfaces or scabrid abaxially; style base not thickened 21a. var. scaposa
2b. Leaves densely hairy abaxially; style base slightly thickened ........................... 21c. var. hirsuta
花葶薹草(原变种) hua ting tai cao (yuan bian zhong)
Leaves glabrous on both surfaces or scabrid abaxially. Staminate part of spike less than 7 mm, usually shorter than pistillate part. Style base not thickened.
Forest undergrowth, shady slopes, cliffs, watersides; 4001500 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Vietnam].
长雄薹草 chang xiong tai cao
Staminate part of spike 1013 mm, much longer than pistillate part.
* Forest undergrowth; ca. 800 m. Guangdong, Guangxi.
糙叶花葶薹草 cao ye hua ting tai cao
Leaves densely hairy abaxially. Staminate part of spike less than 7 mm, usually shorter than pistillate part. Style base slightly thickened.
* Woods, valleys, watersides; 200700 m. Guangdong, Hunan, Sichuan.
流苏薹草 liu su tai cao
Rhizome woody. Culms lateral, 3080 Χ 0.120.25 cm, trigonous, densely hairy, rarely glabrous, base with pale brown sheaths. Leaves basal and cauline; basal leaves tufted, usually shorter rarely longer than culms, elliptic to narrowly lanceolate, 2540 Χ 2.84.5 cm, glabrous on both surfaces or scabrid abaxially, acuminate, base attenuate, margins densely ciliate; petiole 220 cm, hairy; cauline leaves spathelike, lower part green, upper part pale brown, margins ciliate. Bracts spathelike; panicle compound, 2- to several-branched; inflorescence branches nearly corymbose, triangular-ovate, 1.52.5 Χ 23 cm, single or binate; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, 48 cm, densely hairy; inflorescence axes densely hairy; bractlets glumaceous, oblong, 45 mm, obtuse, membranous, densely hairy abaxially; spikes 412 patent, bisexual, androgynous, ovate to oblong, 510 mm; staminate part of spike oblong, longer than or same length as pistillate part; pistillate part 410-flowered; staminate glumes oblong-lanceolate, 34.5 mm, acuminate; pistillate glumes ovate-oblong, 2.83 mm, obtuse, papery, middle part pale green, brownish white laterally with dense brown spots and short lines; utricles slightly longer than glumes, obliquely patent, elliptic, trigonous, 33.5 mm, pale yellowish white, sometimes with dense brown spots and short lines, with 2 lateral veins abaxially, nearly sessile, apex contracted into beak of medium length, beak slightly shorter than half of utricle, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes elliptic, trigonous, ca. 2 mm, brown when mature; base of style thickened, stigma 3.
* Woods, valleys, grassy places in valleys, shady slopes; 3001400 m. Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan.
1a. Leaves glabrous on both surfaces or scabrid abaxially ............................. 22a. var. densifimbriata
1b. Leaves densely hairy abaxially ............................................................................ 22b. var. hirsuta
流苏薹草(原变种) liu su tai cao (yuan bian zhong)
Leaves glabrous on both surfaces or scabrid abaxially.
* Woods, valleys, shady slopes; 3001400 m. Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan.
粗毛流苏薹草 cu mao liu su tai cao
Leaves densely hairy abaxially.
* Grassy places in valleys. Guizhou, Hunan.
广东薹草 guang dong tai cao
Carex scaposa C. B. Clarke var. baviensis Franchet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Paris, sιr. 3, 8: 255. 1896; C. chienii F. T. Wang & Tang; C. kwangtungensis F. T. Wang & Tang.
Rhizome nearly woody. Culms tufted, lateral, 3050 Χ 0.10.2 cm, trigonous, densely hairy, base with pale brown leafless sheaths. Leaves basal and cauline; basal leaves tufted, shorter than culms, narrowly elliptic to elliptic-linear, 2535 Χ 23 cm, entire, acuminate, scabrid abaxially, glabrous adaxially; petiole 515 cm, glabrous; cauline leaves spathelike, lower part green, upper part pale brown, with dense brown spots and lines, margins ciliate and glabrescent later. Bracts spathelike; panicle compound, 26-branched; inflorescence branches nearly corymbose, triangular-ovate, 1.52 Χ 22.5 cm, single or binate, slightly distant; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, 24 cm, densely hairy; inflorescence axes densely hairy; bractlets glumaceous, 33.5 mm, densely hairy; spikes 20 or less, patent, bisexual, androgynous, oblong-cylindrical, 710 Χ 22.5 mm; staminate part of spike longer than pistillate part, oblong, with more than 10 flowers; pistillate part slightly densely 310-flowered; staminate glumes oblong, ca. 3 mm, obtuse, membranous, brown; pistillate glumes ovate-oblong, 2.53 mm, obtuse, membranous, brownish white with dense brown spots and short lines, 1-nerved; utricles elliptic, obliquely or horizontally patent, trigonous, ca. 3 mm, pale brownish white with dense brown spots and short lines, with 2 lateral veins abaxially, base obtuse, apex contracted into beak of medium length, beak slightly shorter than half of utricle, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes ovate, trigonous, ca. 1.5 mm, brown when mature; base of style thickened, stigma 3.
Evergreen forest undergrowth, shady places, watersides; 5001200 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Sichuan, Yunnan [Laos, Vietnam].
刘氏薹草 liu shi tai cao
Rhizome woody. Culms tufted, lateral, 3060 Χ 0.20.3 cm, trigonous, loosely pubescent when young, base with brown sheaths. Leaves basal and cauline; basal leaves tufted, longer or shorter than culms, linear or linear-oblanceolate, sometimes narrowly elliptic, 2040 Χ 1.44 cm, integrate or ciliate, acuminate, glabrous on both surfaces or scabrid abaxially; petiole 420 cm, glabrous; cauline leaves spathelike, yellowish brown with dense brown spots. Bracts spathelike; panicle compound, 35-branched; inflorescence branches nearly corymbose, triangular-ovate, 23.5 Χ 23 cm, single or binate; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, 46 cm, densely hairy or glabrous; axes of inflorescence trigonous; bractlets glumaceous, lanceolate, 34 mm, pale yellow with dense brown spots, densely hairy or glabrous; spikes more than 10, bisexual, androgynous, 58 mm; staminate part of spike shorter than or same length as pistillate part, circular or oblong; pistillate part 310-flowered; staminate glumes lanceolate, 22.5 mm, membranous, pale yellowish brown or brown; pistillate glumes ovate or lanceolate, 22.5 mm, obtuse, pale yellowish brown or brown with dark brown spots and short lines, 1-nerved; utricles ovate, rarely elliptic, trigonous, 2.53 mm, papery, pale brown with dense dark brown spots and short lines, glabrous, with 2 lateral veins abaxially, nearly sessile, apex contracted into beak of medium length, beak about 1/4 length of utricle, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes ovate, trigonous, 1.52 mm, brown when mature; base of style thickened, stigma 3.
* Forests; 3001100 m. Fujian, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangxi.
丫蕊薹草 ya rui tai cao
Rhizome woody. Culms tufted, lateral, flaccid, 1520 Χ ca. 0.1 cm, trigonous, loosely hairy and glabrescent later, base with pale brown sheaths. Leaves basal and cauline; basal leaves tufted, linear or linear-elliptic, 1525 Χ 1.53 cm, glabrous, acuminate; petiole 110 cm, base covered with brown sheaths, upper part with narrow wings formed by leaf-blade base; cauline leaves often absent, if present, spathelike, membranous, brown, glabrous or loosely pubescent. Bracts spathelike; panicle simple, triangular-ovate, 1.53 Χ 23 cm; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, 13 cm, loosely pubescent; bractlets glumaceous, lanceolate, 37 mm, membranous, pale yellow with dense brown spots and short lines; spikes 110, producing from flowerless utriculiform cladoprophylls, oblong-cylindrical, 710 mm, bisexual, androgynous; staminate part of spike nearly same length as pistillate part, oblong-cylindrical; pistillate part 38-flowered; staminate glumes lanceolate, 34 mm, acuminate, pale brownish white with dense brown spots and short lines, with 1 mid-nerve; pistillate glumes lanceolate, 23 mm, obtuse, membranous, pale brownish white with dense brown spots and short lines, glabrous, 1-nerved; utricles rhomboid-ovate or elliptic, trigonous, patent, 3.54 mm, membranous, pale brownish white with dense brown spots and short lines, with 2 lateral veins abaxially, nearly sessile, apex contracted into long beak, beak slightly shorter than half of utricle, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes nearly ovate, trigonous, 1.52 mm, brown when mature; base of style thickened, stigma 3.
* Woods, shady slopes; 7001700 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangxi.
林氏薹草 lin shi tai cao
Carex sinocrispa Raymond.
Rhizome woody. Culms tufted, lateral, flaccid, 1540 Χ ca. 0.1 cm, trigonous, loosely hairy and then glabrescent, base with pale to deep brown sheaths. Leaves basal and cauline; basal leaves tufted, narrowly elliptic to linear-elliptic, 1230 Χ 22.5 cm, glabrous or scabrid along abaxial veins, acuminate, base attenuate, margins densely replicate; petiole 520 cm, nearly glabrous; cauline leaves spathelike, pale greenish white, sometimes with brown spots and short lines, loosely pubescent. Bracts spathelike; panicle simple, triangular-ovate, 1.53 Χ 23 cm, about 10-spiked; peduncles of inflorescence tenuous, densely hairy; bractlets glumaceous, 2.53 mm, glabrous; spikes producing from flowerless utriculiform cladoprophylls, oblong, patent horizontally, 410 mm, bisexual, androgynous; staminate part of spike nearly circular to oblong; pistillate part 310-flowered, nearly as long as staminate part; staminate glumes oblong-lanceolate, 2.22.5 mm, apex obtuse, membranous, pale brownish white with dense brown spots and short lines, with 1 mid-nerve; pistillate glumes similar to staminate ones; utricles ovate-elliptic, trigonous, obliquely or horizontally patent, ca. 3.5 mm, membranous, brownish white with dense brown spots and short lines, with 2 lateral veins abaxially, nearly sessile, apex contracted into long beak, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes ovate, trigonous, 1.51.8 mm, brown when mature; base of style thickened, stigma 3.
* Woods, shady places. Fujian, Zhejiang.
棕叶薹草 zong ye tai cao
Rhizome thick, woody, with stolons. Culms loosely tufted, lateral, slender, 2235 Χ ca. 0.20.25 cm, trigonous, lower part smooth, upper part loosely pubescent, base with brown sheaths. Leaves basal and cauline; basal leaf single, elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, 2242 Χ 410 cm, scabrid abaxially, glabrous adaxially, 714-veined, replicate, entire, apex caudate, base attenuate; petiole 710 cm, fold, glabrous; cauline leaves spathelike, green, loosely pubescent, margins brown, membranous. Bracts spathelike; panicle compound, several-branched; inflorescence branches single or binate, racemose, often 12(3)-spiked; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, lowest one up to 8 cm, upper ones gradually shorter, scabrid; bractlets glumaceous, ovate-lanceolate, 34 mm, loosely hairy; spikes producing from flowerless utriculiform cladoprophylls, linear-cylindrical, 2540 Χ 34 mm, bisexual, androgynous; staminate part of spike nearly as long as pistillate part, oblong; pistillate part loosely many-flowered; staminate glumes oblong, 4.55 mm, apex obtuse, membranous, dark brown, 3-nerved; pistillate glumes oblong, 4.55 mm, acuminate, membranous, pale brown with dark brown spots and short lines, loosely hairy abaxially, 3-nerved; utricles elliptic, trigonous, ca. 4 mm, membranous, pale brown with dark brown spots and short lines, with 2 lateral veins abaxially, nearly sessile, apex contracted into beak of medium length, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes obovate-oblong, trigonous, ca. 2.5 mm, brown when mature; base of style not thickened, stigma 3.
Wet grasslands in valleys; 12001300 m. SE Yunnan [Vietnam].
扇叶薹草 san ye tai cao
Rhizome stoloniferous, woody. Culms lateral, 4040 Χ ca. 0.2 cm, trigonous, loosely pubescent, base with brown sheaths. Leaves basal and cauline; basal leaf 23 tufted on rhizome node, narrowly elliptic, 2035 Χ 3.87 cm, glabrous or scabrid on abaxial veins, replicate, acuminate, base attenuate; petiole 1424 cm, fold, glabrous; cauline leaves spathelike, pale greenish white with dense brown spots and short lines, pubescent. Bracts spathelike; panicle compound, 10 more branched; inflorescence branches binate or ternate, racemose, 13-spiked; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, 210 cm, densely pubescent; bractlets glumaceous, ovate-oblong, ca. 3.5 mm, densely pubescent abaxially; spikes producing from flowerless utriculiform cladoprophylls, oblong, 510 mm, bisexual, androgynous; staminate part of spike slightly shorter than pistillate part, with 10 more flowers; pistillate part 410-flowered; staminate glumes ovate-lanceolate, ca. 3 mm, acuminate, membranous, pale yellow laterally with dense spots and short lines, pale green at middle, 3-nerved; pistillate glumes similar to staminate glumes, but loosely pubescent abaxially; utricles obliquely to horizontally patent, elliptic, trigonous, 33.2 mm, membranous, pale yellowish white with brown spots and short lines, with many upheaving veins, glabrous, base nearly rounded, upper part attenuate into excurved long beak, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes elliptic, trigonous, 1.92 mm, brown when mature; style excurved, base not thickened, stigma 3.
* Streamsides; ??altitude. Guangxi.
蘖枝薹草组 ni zhi tai cao zu
Culms lateral; leaves radical or cauline, several radical leaves often forming a high shoot, leaf blades linear, less than 1 cm wide, cauline leaves and bracts spathelike; inflorescence branches only with about 310 spikes.
?? species: ??distribution; three species in China.
1a. Leaves densely hairy abaxially; utricles smaller, 2.53 mm, ovate-rhomboid, upper part with brownish red papilla .................................................................................................... 29. C. kwangsiensis
1b. Leaves glabrous; utricles larger, 3.54 mm, elliptic or oblong, without papilla.
2a. Utricles loosely hairy, beak about 1/3 length of utricle, beak mouth prominently bidentate; radical leaves shorter than culms; pistillate glumes mucronate ....................................... 30. C. oligostachya
2b. Utricles glabrous, beak about 1/2 length of utricle, beak mouth not prominently bidentate; radical leaves longer than culms; pistillate glumes not mucronate ........................................... 31. C. tsiangii
广西薹草 guanxi tai cao
Rhizome woody, with stolons. Culms lateral, 3050 Χ ca. 0.15 cm, trigonous, loosely pubescent when young and glabrescent later, with brown sheaths at base. Leaves radical and cauline; radical leaves longer than culms, several ones forming a high shoot, base covered with persistent brown sheaths, linear, flat, 57 mm wide, with dense white hair abaxially; cauline leaves spathelike, brown, loosely hairy along veins. Bracts spathelike; panicle compound; inflorescence branches nearly corymbose, 23 Χ 22.5 cm, single or terminal ones binate, about 310-spiked; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, 510 cm, loosely pubescent; inflorescence axes sharply trigonous, densely hairy; bractlets glumaceous, lanceolate, lowest one 510 mm, upper ones gradually shorter, terminal one awnlike, pale brown, loosely pubescent; spikes obliquely or horizontally patent, androgynous, 718 mm, staminate part cylindrical, longer than or as long as pistillate part, pistillate part 213-flowered; spike peduncles producing from flowerless utriculiform cladoprophylls, tenuous, lowest one 22.5 mm, upper ones gradually shorter, loosely pubescent; staminate glumes lanceolate, 3.54 mm, apex obtuse, membranous, brown laterally, loosely pubescent and glabrescent later, margins ciliate, pale green at middle, with 1 nerve; pistillate glumes oblong-lanceolate, 2.22.5 mm, apex obtuse, membranous, brown laterally, pale green at middle, with 1 mid-nerve, loosely pubescent; utricles ovate-rhomboid, inflatedly trigonous, 2.53 mm, upper part with brownish red papilla, with many upheaving veins, hairy, nearly sessile, apex contracted into excurved long beak of 1/2 length of utricle, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes ovate-rhomboid, trigonous, ca. 1.8 mm, brown when mature; style base thickened, stigma 3.
* Among shrubs in shady valleys; ??altitude. Guangxi.
少穗薹草 shao sui tai cao
Carex rhizomata Steudel.
Rhizome stoloniferous, woody. Culms lateral, 2080 Χ ca. 0.10.2 cm, trigonous, glabrous, base with brown sheaths. Leaves radical and cauline; radical leaves shorter than culms, several ones forming a high shoot, leaf blades linear, flat, 25 mm wide, base covered with brown sheaths; cauline leaves spathelike, brown. Bracts spathelike, with linear blades, shorter than inflorescence branches; panicle compound with 612 distant branches; inflorescence branches nearly corymbose, single or binate, 35-spiked; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, erect, slightly scabrid; inflorescence axes loosely hairy on edges; bractlets glumaceous, ca. 3 mm; spikes patent, bisexual, angogynous, 410 mm, staminate part longer than or nearly as long as pistillate part; staminate glumes lanceolate, 33.5 mm, brown, glabrous; pistillate glumes ovate to lanceolate, 23 mm, apex obtuse, mucronate, pale brown with dense purplish red spots and short lines, upper part loosely pubescent, margins hyaline; utricles patent, oblong, slightly inflated, trigonous, 2.54 mm, brownish green to purplish brown, with several upheaving veins, hairy, apex contracted into excurved beak of medium length, beak 1/3 length of utricle, beak mouth prominently bidentate. Achenes elliptic, trigonous, 22.3 mm; style base not thickened, stigma 3.
Grasslands on slopes; 9001200 m. Guangxi, Guizhou [India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Vietnam].
三念薹草 san nian tai cao
Carex surculosa Raymond.
Rhizome woody, with stolons. Culms tufted, lateral, 4060 Χ ca. 0.1 cm, trigonous, glabrous, base with brown sheaths. Leaves radical and cauline; radical leaves longer than culms, several ones forming a high shoot, leaf blades linear, flat, 57 mm wide, glabrous, margins entire or scabrid, base covered with brown sheaths; cauline leaves spathelike, brown, loosely pubescent and glabrescent later. Bracts spathelike, with linear blades, shorter than inflorescence branches; panicle compound, 610 cm, 36-branched; inflorescence branches nearly corymbose, broadly ovate, ca. 2 Χ 23 cm, single or binate, 310-spiked; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, 35.5 cm, slightly scabrid; inflorescence axes sharply trigonous, densely hairy and glabrescent later; bractlets glumaceous, lanceolate, 2.53 mm, pale brown laterally, pale green at middle, loosely pubescent; spikes obliquely or horizontally patent, bisexual, androgynous, 1015 mm, staminate part cylindrical, longer than pistillate part, pistillate part 39-flowered; staminate glumes lanceolate, 33.5 mm, acuminate, pale green with brown spots and short lines, with 1 mid-nerve; pistillate glumes ovate-lanceolate, 2.53 mm, acute, membranous, pale brown with brown spots and short lines, with 1 mid-nerve, loosely pubescent and glabrescent later, margins ciliate; utricles elliptic or broadly elliptic, obtusely trigonous, 3.54 mm, papery, brown, glabrous, with several fine veins, apex contracted into long beak, beak nearly as long as utricle, beak mouth minutely bidentate. Achenes elliptic or broadly elliptic, trigonous, 1.52 mm; style base thickened, stigma 3.
* Among shrubs on slopes; ??altitude. Guangdong.
宝兴薹草组 Pinyin
Panicle compound; inflorescence branches corymbose; spike unisexual; staminate spikes at upper part of inflorescence branches, pistillate spikes at lower part; culms bearing leaves from base to inflorescence; leaves papillose abaxially.
?? species: ??distribution; one species in China.
宝兴薹草 Pinyin
Homolostachys sinensis Boeckler.
Rhizome stoloniferous, woody. Culms 2050 Χ 0.30.4 cm, stiff, trigonous, base with persistent brown sheaths. Leaves longer or shorter than culms, flat, 35 mm wide, pubescent and glabrescent later, papillose abaxially, scabrid adaxially, long-sheathed, sheath mouth villous. Bracts same as leaves, shorter than inflorescence, much longer than inflorescence branches; panicle compound, 1020 cm, 410-flowered; inflorescence corymbose, 23 Χ 1.52 cm, single, 512-spiked; peduncles of inflorescence branches tenuous, 68 cm, trigonous, loosely pubescent; axes of inflorescence sharply trigonous, loosely pubescent; bractlets glumaceous, lanceolate, 34 mm, brown, loosely pubescent; spikes unisexual, staminate ones at upper part, pistillate at lower part, producing from flowerless utriculiform cladoprophylls; staminate spikes oblong, 610 mm, many-flowered, sometimes with few pistillate flowers at base; pistillate spikes oblong, 710 mm, densely many-flowered, sometimes with few staminate flowers at top; staminate glumes lanceolate, 2.53.5 mm, acuminate, membranous, brown, with 1 mid-nerve; pistillate glumes lanceolate, 2.53.5 mm, acuminate, brownish white with dense brown spots, with 1 mid-nerve, margins narrowly hyaline; utricles obliquely patent, shorter than glumes, obovate, sometimes obliquely obovate, slightly inflated, trigonous, ca. 2 mm, papery, glabrous, brownish white with brown spots, 2-veined abaxially, apex contracted abruptly into short beak, beak mouth obliquely truncate. Achenes obovate, trigonous, ca. 1.2 mm, yellowish white when mature; style base thickened, stigma 3.
* Shady slopes, roadsides. Guizhou, Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan.
粗糙薹草组 cu cao tai cao zu
Panicle spicate; inflorescence branches 15, nearly sessile; spikes fewer, dense, androgynous, few-flowered; bracts leafy, with or without sheaths.
?? species: ??distribution; one species in China.
三头薹草 san tou tai cao
Rhizome oblique. Culms tufted, 1840 Χ ca. 0.1 cm, slender, trigonous, scabrid at upper part. Leaves longer or shorter than culms, flat, 48 mm wide, margins and veins scabrid, persistent sheaths brown, fibriform. Bracts leafy, without sheaths, lowest one longer than inflorescence, others very short, setaceous; panicle spicate, 14 branched; inflorescence branches nearly sessile, fewer-spiked, sometime with sterile spike at lower part; spikes dense, bisexual, androgynous, ovate-globose, 58 Χ 47 mm, nearly sessile; staminate part of spike not prominent, usually not exerted from pistillate part, 35-flowered; pistillate part densely fewer-flowered; staminate glumes lanceolate, 4.55 mm, acuminate, membranous, yellowish white, upper part hairy, with 1 mid-nerve; pistillate glumes lanceolate, 33.5 mm, acuminate, with short awns, yellowish white, with 1 mid-nerve and several fine veins, densely hairy; utricles slightly inflated, trigonous, 4.55 mm, membranous, yellowish white, with 2 lateral keels and several fine veins, densely hairy, nearly sessile, margins very narrowly winged, apex contracted into long beak, beak mouth minutely bidentate. Achenes ovate, trigonous, ca. 3 mm, pale yellow when mature; style base thickened and pyriform, stigma 3.
Forests; 7001100 m. S Yunnan (Xishuangbanna) [Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam].
Chinese tai cao yu shu
Dai Lunkai (戴伦凯), Liang Songyun (梁松筠 Liang Song-jun), Zhang Shuren (张树仁); Tetsuo Koyama
Herb, perennial. Rhizome stoloniferous or without stolon. Flowers unisexual, androgyny; spike few to numerous, unisexual or unisexual and bisexual, rarely all spikes bisexual, bisexual spike usually androgynous (staminate-flowered at the upper part), sometimes gynandrous (pistillate-flowered at the upper part), rarely single and terminal, usually composed spicate, racemose or paniculate inflorescence; cladoprophyll sheathing-shaped, without flower in it. Utricles trigonous, plano-convex or biconvex. Nutlets trigonous, plano-convex or biconvex; style slightly slender, thickened or not thickened at base; stigmas usually 3, rarely 2.
The subgenus includes 43 sections in China.
1a. Spikes 2 to numerous, usually 1 to several spikes bearing in a bract sheath, rarely composed compound inflorescence.
2a. Utricles trigonous; stigmas 3.
3a. Utricles nearly beakless or with short beak, truncate, emarginate or very short 2-toothed at orifice.
4a. Pistillate spikes densely flowered; bracts usually without sheath or only very short-sheathed.
5a. Pistillate spikes contiguous or rather congregate, rarely the lower 12 remote, without peduncle or very short-peduncled, rarely the lowermost one rather long-peduncled.
6a. Bracts leaf like or the lower bracts leaf like, rarely setaceous; terminal spike gynandrous, rarely staminate ............................................................................... 10. C. sect. Racemosae
6b. Bracts scale-shaped or the lower bracts linear, the upper bracts scale-shaped; terminal spike staminate.
7a. Pistillate glumes brown or brownish; utricle hirtellous or papilliferous; emarginate or very short 2-toothed at orifice of beak.
8a. Utricles papilliferous; style thickened at base ............... 11. C. sect. Glaucaeformes
8b. Utricles hirtellous; style not thickened at base ...................... 12. C. sect. Acrocystis
7b. Pistillate glumes red-brown or dark-brown; utricles
glabrous, usually shiny; obliquely truncate at orifice of beak; style thickened
at base
.................................................................................. 13.
C. sect. Lamprochlaenae
5b. Pistillate spikes remote, peduncled.
9a. Staminate spikes 26 (Carex inanis Kunth only 1 staminate spike); utricles hispidulous or scabrous ...................................................................................... 14. C. sect. Trachychlaenae
9b. Staminate spike single, terminal; utricles glabrous ..................... 15. C. sect. Anomalae
4b. Pistillate spikes sparsely flowered; bracts usually sheathed.
10a. Utricles pubescent or hispidulous, rarely glabrous.
11a. Bracts with short blades; nutlets thickened at apex into the annulate shape; style thickened at base into the different shape.
12a. Nutlets with persistent and bent style-base at apex
.................................................................................... 16.
C. sect. Cryptostachyae
12b. Nutlets without the persistent style-base at apex; when nutlets with persistent style-base, the style-base straight or thickened to the cucullate shape.
13a. Nutlets with ± cylindrical style-base, concave at apex,
the persistent style-base not thickened to the cucullate shape
17.
C. sect. Lageniformes
13b. Nutlets ± thickened to the disk-shaped, not concave at
apex, the persistent style-base thickened to the cucullate shape
18.
C. sect. Mitratae
11b. Bracts spathose-shaped, without blade, rarely leaf like; nutlets not thickened at apex into the annulate shape; style slightly thickened at base, rarely thickened into a conical style-base.
14a. Bracts leaf like, rarely sheathing-shaped, without blade; spikes bisexual, androgynous; utricles subleathery or papery; style thickened at base into a conical style-base 19. C. sect. Radicales
14b. Bracts spathose-shaped, rarely sheathing-shaped; spikes unisexual, terminal spike staminate, lateral spikes pistillate; utricles membranous; style thickened or n