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Carex vacillans
Scientific Name: Carex vacillans
Family: Cyperaceae
Category: Monocot
Growth: Graminoid
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Carex vacillans: Swinging Sedge, Saltstarr, or Estuarine Sedge
Carex vacillans, commonly known as Swinging Sedge, Saltstarr, or Estuarine Sedge, is a plant species belonging to the genus Carex and the family Cyperaceae.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Carex vacillans Drejer in C. J. Hartman, 1846
- Family: Cyperaceae (Sedge Family)
- Synonyms:
- Carex kattegatensis Fr. ex Lindm.
- Carex recta auct.
- Carex salina auct. var. kattegatensis (Fr. ex Lindm.) Almq.
- Carex haematolepis
- Carex vacillans Steud., nom. illeg.
- Carex salina var. kattegatensis
Hybrid Origin
Carex vacillans is noted as a stable, fertile hybrid derived from smooth black sedge (Carex nigra) and another Carex species. It is also listed as a hybrid parent of Carex paleacea.
Morphological Characteristics
- Plants are not cespitose (not growing in tufts or clumps).
- Culms (stems) are acutely angled, ranging from 15-60 cm in height, and can be scabrous (rough) or glabrous (smooth).
- Basal sheaths of proximal leaves are brown and glabrous, lacking fronts.
Distribution and Habitat
- Carex vacillans is endemic to Scandinavia.
- Often found in salt marshes and estuarine environments.
- Specific locations mentioned include Refjorden and Ra in Østfold, Norway.
Section Phacocystis
Carex vacillans is a member of the section Phacocystis, characterized by beakless perigynia on peduncled spikes (sometimes appearing sessile).
Further Information
- NBN species dictionary: Search for Carex vacillans.
- MorphBank: Search for forms of Carex vacillans.
- WCSP (World Checklist of Selected Plant Families)