Carex firmula subsp. firmula

Ridley, Rhonda & Jimenez-Mejias, Pedro, 2022, Incipient insular differentiation of Carex firmula (Cyperaceae, former genus Uncinia) in the Juan Fernández archipelago (Chile), Phytotaxa 533 (5), pp. 267-286 : 279

1a. Carex firmula subsp. firmula ( Figure 4 )

Perennials, with short rhizomes. Stems erect, 6–20 cm tall, 0.5–1 mm in diameter near middle, smooth. Leaves flat, linear, 5–10 on each flowering shoot, shorter than to slightly longer than the culms, (0.7–) 1.5–3.5 mm wide, gradually tapering to a scabrous attenuate tip; basal sheaths brown. Spike solitary, androgynous, densely flowered, linear to linear-cylindrical, 2–4.5 cm long, 2–4.7 mm wide, the staminate part 4–6.5 mm long. Pistillate glumes deciduous, membranous, lanceolate, glabrous, slightly shorter than utricles, 1.8–3.2 mm long, 0.6–1.4 mm wide, apex acute, with a greenish middle strip and margins broadly hyaline, sometimes brown-tinged toward apex, 1-veined; persistent saccate stipe-like structure 0.5–1.1m long. Utricle 2.1–4 mm, 0.6–1.1 mm wide; rachilla with an exserted length of 1.6–2.5 mm, the apical hook 0.7–1.4 mm. Nutlets 2.1–2.5 mm long, 0.8–1.1 mm wide, oblong-obovoid.

Distribution:—Endemic from Juan Fernández Islands, at the island of Alejandro Selkirk. Apparently known only from a handful of populations.

Ecology:—Moist, shaded places in quebradas and rocky slopes, particularly under ferns such as Lophosoria , sometimes epiphytic on Dicksonia tree ferns; 850–1200 m ( Wheeler, 2007).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Carex firmula subsp. firmula from Juan Fernández (O. T. Solbrig 3741 US): inflorescence (A) and utricles (B). Carex firmula subsp. tenuis from mainland South America S. Laegaard 101173 US): inflorescence (C) and utricles (D).