Observaciones de dziomber

Carex albicans x umbellata

In a sandstone barrens

The culms here are highly variable in length, never occurring directly at the base, but often quite short, with the longest culms only slightly longer than this year's leaves and significantly shorter than last year's persistent dried leaves. There are also numerous culms with only a single staminate or single pistillate spike, while most of the culms are androgynous with a pistillate spike having 3-7 perigynia and a sessile staminate spike up to about 1cm long.

The range of culm lengths is intermediate between Carex umbellata, which always has basal inflorescences, and Carex albicans emmonsii which usually has numerous shorter culms as well as longer culms, but very rarely basal inflorescences. Carex albicans also never has separate pistillate and staminate culms.

The growth form here is a better match for Carex umbellata, forming colonies with closely clustered cespitose clumps. Carex albicans is typically more densely cespitose. Additionally, the inflorescences of Carex albicans typically have two pistillate spikes, while Carex umbellata typically has one pistillate spike.

Carex pensylvanica, Carex albicans albicans, and Carex communis are present on the site, although I didn't observe Carex communis anywhere in the nearby area. I also never found Carex umbellata on the site. Carex communis is unlikely to be a parent of this plant considering the leaf width and culm lengths. Carex pensylvanica could be a parent of this plant, however I haven't been able to find any suggestions that Carex pensylvanica hybridizes with the Carex umbellata complex