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Cyperaceae taxon details

Carex capillaris L.

To Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Carex capillaris K000960883 type 1)
To Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Carex capillaris K000960883 type 1)

1678235  (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:1678235)

  1. Biota
  2. Plantae (Kingdom)
  3. Viridiplantae (Subkingdom)
  4. Streptophyta (Infrakingdom)
  5. Tracheophyta (Phylum (Division))
  6. Spermatophytina (Subphylum (Subdivision))
  7. Magnoliopsida (Class)
  8. Lilianae (Superorder)
  9. Poales (Order)
  10. Cyperaceae (Family)
  11. Cariceae (Tribe)
  12. Carex (Genus)
  13. Carex subg. Carex (Subgenus)
  14. Carex sect. Chlorostachyae (Section)
  15. Carex capillaris (Species)
accepted
Species

Ordering

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Children Display

  1. Subspecies Carex capillaris subsp. capillaris
  2. Subspecies Carex capillaris subsp. fuscidula (V.I.Krecz. ex T.V.Egorova) Á.Löve & D.Löve
  3. Variety Carex capillaris var. drejer L. (uncertain > unassessed)
  4. Forma Carex capillaris f. alpestris Norm. accepted as Carex capillaris subsp. capillaris
  5. Forma Carex capillaris f. krausei (Boeckeler) Kük. accepted as Carex capillaris f. krauseorum (Boeckeler) Kük. accepted as Carex krauseorum Boeckeler (orthographic variant)
  6. Forma Carex capillaris f. krauseorum (Boeckeler) Kük. accepted as Carex krauseorum Boeckeler
  7. Forma Carex capillaris f. major Drejer accepted as Carex capillaris subsp. capillaris
  8. Forma Carex capillaris f. minima Beck accepted as Carex capillaris subsp. capillaris
  9. Forma Carex capillaris f. porsildiana (Polunin) Raymond accepted as Carex krauseorum subsp. porsildiana (Polunin) Á.Löve, D.Löve & Raymond
  10. Forma Carex capillaris f. saskatschewana (Boeckeler) L.H.Bailey accepted as Carex capillaris subsp. capillaris
  11. Forma Carex capillaris f. typica B.Boivin accepted as Carex capillaris L.
  12. Subspecies Carex capillaris subsp. chlorostachys (Steven) Á.Löve, D.Löve & Raymond accepted as Carex chlorostachys Steven
  13. Subspecies Carex capillaris subsp. densiflora Printz accepted as Carex delicata C.B.Clarke
  14. Subspecies Carex capillaris subsp. karoi Freyn accepted as Carex karoi Freyn
  15. Subspecies Carex capillaris subsp. krausei (Boeckeler) Böcher accepted as Carex capillaris subsp. krauseorum (Boeckeler) Böcher accepted as Carex krauseorum Boeckeler (orthographic variant)
  16. Subspecies Carex capillaris subsp. krauseorum (Boeckeler) Böcher accepted as Carex krauseorum Boeckeler
  17. Subspecies Carex capillaris subsp. ledebouriana (C.A.Mey. ex Trevir.) Vorosch. accepted as Carex ledebouriana C.A.Mey. ex Trevir.
  18. Subspecies Carex capillaris subsp. major (Drejer) Böcher accepted as Carex capillaris subsp. capillaris
  19. Subspecies Carex capillaris subsp. porsildiana (Polunin) Böcher accepted as Carex krauseorum subsp. porsildiana (Polunin) Á.Löve, D.Löve & Raymond
  20. Subspecies Carex capillaris subsp. robustior (Lange) Drejer ex Böcher accepted as Carex boecheriana A.Löve, D.Löve & Raymond
  21. Variety Carex capillaris var. alpestris Andersson accepted as Carex capillaris L.
  22. Variety Carex capillaris var. capillaris accepted as Carex capillaris L.
  23. Variety Carex capillaris var. castanea Nyman accepted as Carex capillaris subsp. capillaris
  24. Variety Carex capillaris var. chlorostachys (Steven) Grossh. accepted as Carex chlorostachys Steven
  25. Variety Carex capillaris var. elongata Olney ex Fernald accepted as Carex capillaris subsp. capillaris
  26. Variety Carex capillaris var. krausei (Boeckeler) Kranz accepted as Carex capillaris var. krauseorum (Boeckeler) Kranz accepted as Carex krauseorum Boeckeler (orthographic variant)
  27. Variety Carex capillaris var. krauseorum (Boeckeler) Kranz accepted as Carex krauseorum Boeckeler
  28. Variety Carex capillaris var. ledebouriana (C.A.Mey. ex Trevir.) F.Schmidt accepted as Carex ledebouriana C.A.Mey. ex Trevir.
  29. Variety Carex capillaris var. ledebouriana Kük. accepted as Carex ledebouriana C.A.Mey. ex Trevir.
  30. Variety Carex capillaris var. ledebourii F.Schmidt accepted as Carex ledebouriana C.A.Mey. ex Trevir.
  31. Variety Carex capillaris var. major Drejer accepted as Carex capillaris subsp. capillaris
  32. Variety Carex capillaris var. minima Beck accepted as Carex capillaris L.
  33. Variety Carex capillaris var. nana Kük. accepted as Carex krauseorum subsp. krauseorum
  34. Variety Carex capillaris var. paludosa F.Schmidt accepted as Carex capillaris subsp. capillaris
  35. Variety Carex capillaris var. parvirostris Kük. accepted as Carex karoi Freyn
  36. Variety Carex capillaris var. pohuanshanensis Y.Yabe accepted as Carex chlorostachys var. chlorostachys
  37. Variety Carex capillaris var. porsildiana Polunin accepted as Carex krauseorum subsp. porsildiana (Polunin) Á.Löve, D.Löve & Raymond
  38. Variety Carex capillaris var. regeliana Kük. accepted as Carex regeliana (Kük.) Litv.
  39. Variety Carex capillaris var. robustior Lange accepted as Carex boecheriana A.Löve, D.Löve & Raymond
  40. Variety Carex capillaris var. robustior Drejer accepted as Carex capillaris subsp. capillaris
  41. Variety Carex capillaris var. tenuior Drejer accepted as Carex capillaris subsp. capillaris
  42. Variety Carex capillaris var. tenuior Lange accepted as Carex capillaris L.
  43. Variety Carex capillaris var. williamsii (Britton) B.Boivin accepted as Carex williamsii Britton
terrestrial
Linnaeus, C. (1753). Species plantarum, exhibentes plantas rite cognitas ad genera relatas cum differentiis specificis, nominibus trivialibus, synonymis selectis, locis natalibus, secundum systema sexuale digestas. Vol 2. Salvius, Stockholm., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358580
page(s): 977 [details] 
Description Cespitosa. Tallos fértiles 2–10(20) cm, lisos, trígonos. Hojas 0,3–1,1(2) mm de anchura, generalmente de menor...  
Description Cespitosa. Tallos fértiles 2–10(20) cm, lisos, trígonos. Hojas 0,3–1,1(2) mm de anchura, generalmente de menor longitud que los tallos, planas o canaliculadas, lisas o ásperas en los bordes, algo rígidas; lígula diminuta, de ápice redondeado; sin antelígula; vainas basales con limbo desarrollado, pardas, fibrosas. Bráctea inferior cortamente folíacea, de longitud igual o poco mayor que la inflorescencia, raramente algo menor, envaínante. Espiga masculina solitaria, de 3–7 mm, linear; espigas femeninas 2–3, de 2–12 mm, con (1)4–8(13) flores, laxi-floras, que se agrupan en la parte superior del tallo y superan a la masculina, con pedúnculos filiformes, 1–todos colgantes. Glumas masculinas ovadas, subagudas o obtusas, pajizas, con ancho margen escarioso; glumas femeninas anchamente ovadas a suborbiculares, de ápice irregularmente redondeado, raramente con un diminuto mucrón, de menor longitud que los utrículos, de color pardo claro con ancho margen escarioso en la mitad superior. Utrículos 2–2,8(3) × 0,8–1 mm, suberectos, ovoides, trígonos, pardos, con solo 2 nervios prominentes, gradualmente atenuados en un pico de 0,6–0,8 mm, con el ápice truncado, escarioso, liso o escabriúsculo. Aquenios 1,3–1,5(1,9) × 0,7–0,9 mm, de contorno ± oval, trígonos, verdosos o parduscos. 2n = 50, 54, 55, 56?* [details]

Description Rhizomes short; shoots in ± open tufts; roots slender, purple-brown; scales dark brown or red-brown, soon becoming...  
Description Rhizomes short; shoots in ± open tufts; roots slender, purple-brown; scales dark brown or red-brown, soon becoming fibrous. Stems 10–60 cm, bluntly trigonous to subterete. Leaves 5–10 cm × 0.5–2.5 mm, stiff, sometimes arcuate, flat or ± channelled, gradually tapered to a short subulate tip, mid green, changing to red- and then grey-brown on dying, usually overwintering; sheaths red-brown, soon becoming fibrous, with inner face hyaline; apex straight; ligule c. 1 mm, rounded. Inflorescence up to 1/2 length of stem but usually much less; bracts leaf-like, usually a single one subtending a cluster of spikes, ± exceeding inflorescence, but the bract of any distant spike shorter. Male spike 1, 5–10 mm, few-flowered, overtopped by female spikes; male glumes 2–3 mm, oblong-obovate, hyaline with a brown midrib; apex obtuse to rounded. Female spikes 2–4, 5–25 mm, rarely more than 10-flowered, clustered and usually appearing to arise from a single node, though lowest sometimes distant; peduncles up to 4 cm, hair-like, half ensheathed; female glumes 2–3 mm, caducous, broadly ovate, hyaline or straw-coloured; apex acute or mucronate. Utricles c. 3 mm, narrowly ovoid-ellipsoid, olive to dark brown, smooth, shiny; beak 0.5 mm, truncate; stigmas 3; nut ellipsoid, trigonous. [details]

Description Rhizome short, without stolons. Culms densely tufted, 15-40 cm tall, rather slender, obtusely trigonous, smooth, with brown...  
Description Rhizome short, without stolons. Culms densely tufted, 15-40 cm tall, rather slender, obtusely trigonous, smooth, with brown sheaths at base, old sheaths usually disintegrated into fibers. Leaves much shorter than culm, 1/3-1/2 height of culm, blades 1.5-2 mm wide, flat, rather soft, scabrous on margins, shortly sheathed. Involucral bracts leaflike, linear, shorter than subtending spike, with rather long sheath. Spikes 3 or 4, rather remote, slightly pendulous; terminal spike male, sometimes with 2 or 3 female flowers at base or apex, narrowly lanceolate, 0.5-1 cm, not surpassing uppermost female spike; lateral spikes female, narrowly oblong, 0.8-1.5 cm, loosely 6-10-flowered; peduncles slender, longest up to 5 cm, smooth or slightly scabrous. Female glumes early deciduous, yellow-brown or brown, obovate, ca. 2.5 mm, membranous, green 3-veined, with veins and midrib convex, margins broadly white hyaline, apex obtuse or acute and mucronate. Utricles dark yellow-green or brown-green, suberect, longer than glume, ovate-oblong or narrowly ovate, obtusely trigonous, 3.5-4 mm, membranous, nerveless, base gradually attenuate into a short stipe, apex gradually narrowed into a ± long beak, beak slightly scabrous on margins, white hyaline and obliquely truncate or emarginate at orifice. Nutlets yellowish, tightly enveloped, obovate, trigonous, ca. 1.5 mm; style base slightly thickened; stigmas 3. [details]

Taxonomic remark Source in seed data: wcs Update namepublishedIn from Sp. Pl. 977 1753 to Sp. Pl. : 977 (1753), information provided by...  
Taxonomic remark Source in seed data: wcs Update namepublishedIn from Sp. Pl. 977 1753 to Sp. Pl. : 977 (1753), information provided by Alan E. on email Jun. 07 2021 More details could be found in The Plant L [details]
Cyperaceae Working Group. (2026). [see How to cite]. Global Cyperaceae Database. Carex capillaris L.. Accessed at: https://cyperaceae.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1678235 on 2026-06-04
Date
action
by
2023-09-06 07:28:28Z
created
Jiménez-Mejías, Pedro
2024-12-10 11:47:54Z
unchecked
db_admin
2025-03-11 11:19:03Z
changed
Márquez-Corro, José Ignacio
2026-04-08 09:50:16Z
changed
Jiménez-Mejías, Pedro

Creative Commons License The webpage text is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License


Nomenclature

original description Linnaeus, C. (1753). Species plantarum, exhibentes plantas rite cognitas ad genera relatas cum differentiis specificis, nominibus trivialibus, synonymis selectis, locis natalibus, secundum systema sexuale digestas. Vol 2. Salvius, Stockholm., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358580
page(s): 977 [details] 

basis of record Plants of the World Online (POWO). , available online at https://powo.science.kew.org/ [details] 

Taxonomy

taxonomy source Jermy, A.C.; Simpson, D.A.; Foley, M.J.Y.; Porter, M.S. (2007). Sedges of the British Isles. 554 pp. Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland, United Kingdom. [details] Available for editors  PDF available [request]

taxonomy source Luceño, M., Castroviejo, S., Jiménez-Mejías, P. (2008). Cyperaceae. In: Castroviejo, Luceño, M., Galán, A., Jiménez-Mejías, P., Cabezas, F., Medina, L. (eds). Flora iberica. Plantas vasculares de la Península Ibérica e Islas Baleares. Vol. XVIII. Madrid: CSIC., available online at https://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/records/item/12958-flora-iberica-vol-18-cyperaceae-pontederiaceae?offset=, http://www.floraiberica.es/PHP/familias_lista_.php?familia=Cyperaceae [details] 

Other

additional source Li, B. Z.; Zhang, S. R. (2024). An updated species checklist and taxonomic synopsis of Cyperaceae in China. <em>Biodiversity Science.</em> 32(7): 24106., available online at https://doi.org/10.17520/biods.2024106 [details] Available for editors  PDF available [request]

 
 Present  Inaccurate  Introduced: alien  Containing type locality 
   

Syntype K 000960883, geounit Shanxi [details]
From editor or global species database
Description Cespitosa. Tallos fértiles 2–10(20) cm, lisos, trígonos. Hojas 0,3–1,1(2) mm de anchura, generalmente de menor longitud que los tallos, planas o canaliculadas, lisas o ásperas en los bordes, algo rígidas; lígula diminuta, de ápice redondeado; sin antelígula; vainas basales con limbo desarrollado, pardas, fibrosas. Bráctea inferior cortamente folíacea, de longitud igual o poco mayor que la inflorescencia, raramente algo menor, envaínante. Espiga masculina solitaria, de 3–7 mm, linear; espigas femeninas 2–3, de 2–12 mm, con (1)4–8(13) flores, laxi-floras, que se agrupan en la parte superior del tallo y superan a la masculina, con pedúnculos filiformes, 1–todos colgantes. Glumas masculinas ovadas, subagudas o obtusas, pajizas, con ancho margen escarioso; glumas femeninas anchamente ovadas a suborbiculares, de ápice irregularmente redondeado, raramente con un diminuto mucrón, de menor longitud que los utrículos, de color pardo claro con ancho margen escarioso en la mitad superior. Utrículos 2–2,8(3) × 0,8–1 mm, suberectos, ovoides, trígonos, pardos, con solo 2 nervios prominentes, gradualmente atenuados en un pico de 0,6–0,8 mm, con el ápice truncado, escarioso, liso o escabriúsculo. Aquenios 1,3–1,5(1,9) × 0,7–0,9 mm, de contorno ± oval, trígonos, verdosos o parduscos. 2n = 50, 54, 55, 56?* [details]

Description Rhizomes short; shoots in ± open tufts; roots slender, purple-brown; scales dark brown or red-brown, soon becoming fibrous. Stems 10–60 cm, bluntly trigonous to subterete. Leaves 5–10 cm × 0.5–2.5 mm, stiff, sometimes arcuate, flat or ± channelled, gradually tapered to a short subulate tip, mid green, changing to red- and then grey-brown on dying, usually overwintering; sheaths red-brown, soon becoming fibrous, with inner face hyaline; apex straight; ligule c. 1 mm, rounded. Inflorescence up to 1/2 length of stem but usually much less; bracts leaf-like, usually a single one subtending a cluster of spikes, ± exceeding inflorescence, but the bract of any distant spike shorter. Male spike 1, 5–10 mm, few-flowered, overtopped by female spikes; male glumes 2–3 mm, oblong-obovate, hyaline with a brown midrib; apex obtuse to rounded. Female spikes 2–4, 5–25 mm, rarely more than 10-flowered, clustered and usually appearing to arise from a single node, though lowest sometimes distant; peduncles up to 4 cm, hair-like, half ensheathed; female glumes 2–3 mm, caducous, broadly ovate, hyaline or straw-coloured; apex acute or mucronate. Utricles c. 3 mm, narrowly ovoid-ellipsoid, olive to dark brown, smooth, shiny; beak 0.5 mm, truncate; stigmas 3; nut ellipsoid, trigonous. [details]

Description Rhizome short, without stolons. Culms densely tufted, 15-40 cm tall, rather slender, obtusely trigonous, smooth, with brown sheaths at base, old sheaths usually disintegrated into fibers. Leaves much shorter than culm, 1/3-1/2 height of culm, blades 1.5-2 mm wide, flat, rather soft, scabrous on margins, shortly sheathed. Involucral bracts leaflike, linear, shorter than subtending spike, with rather long sheath. Spikes 3 or 4, rather remote, slightly pendulous; terminal spike male, sometimes with 2 or 3 female flowers at base or apex, narrowly lanceolate, 0.5-1 cm, not surpassing uppermost female spike; lateral spikes female, narrowly oblong, 0.8-1.5 cm, loosely 6-10-flowered; peduncles slender, longest up to 5 cm, smooth or slightly scabrous. Female glumes early deciduous, yellow-brown or brown, obovate, ca. 2.5 mm, membranous, green 3-veined, with veins and midrib convex, margins broadly white hyaline, apex obtuse or acute and mucronate. Utricles dark yellow-green or brown-green, suberect, longer than glume, ovate-oblong or narrowly ovate, obtusely trigonous, 3.5-4 mm, membranous, nerveless, base gradually attenuate into a short stipe, apex gradually narrowed into a ± long beak, beak slightly scabrous on margins, white hyaline and obliquely truncate or emarginate at orifice. Nutlets yellowish, tightly enveloped, obovate, trigonous, ca. 1.5 mm; style base slightly thickened; stigmas 3. [details]

Taxonomic remark Source in seed data: wcs Update namepublishedIn from Sp. Pl. 977 1753 to Sp. Pl. : 977 (1753), information provided by Alan E. on email Jun. 07 2021 More details could be found in The Plant L [details]

Translation Tussock-forming. Fertile stems 2–10(20) cm tall, smooth, trigonous. Leaves 0.3–1.1(2) mm wide, generally shorter than the stems, flat or channelled, smooth or rough along the margins, somewhat rigid; ligule minute, with a rounded apex; no antiligule; basal sheaths with a developed blade, brown, fibrous. Lower bract shortly foliose, equal to or slightly longer than the inflorescence, rarely somewhat shorter, sheathing. Male spike solitary, 3–7 mm long, linear; female spikes 2–3, 2–12 mm long, with (1)4–8(13) flowers, loosely flowered, grouped in the upper part of the stem and overtopping the male spike, with filiform peduncles, 1 to all pendulous. Male glumes ovate, subacute to obtuse, straw-coloured, with a broad scarious margin; female glumes broadly ovate to suborbicular, with an irregularly rounded apex, rarely bearing a minute mucro, shorter than the utricles, pale brown with a broad scarious margin in the upper half. Utricles 2–2.8(3) × 0.8–1 mm, suberect, ovoid, trigonous, brown, with only two prominent nerves, gradually attenuated into a beak 0.6–0.8 mm long, apex truncate, scarious, smooth or slightly scabrid. Achenes 1.3–1.5(1.9) × 0.7–0.9 mm, ± oval in outline, trigonous, greenish or brownish. 2n = 50, 54, 55, 56?* [details]
    Definitions

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To Biodiversity Heritage Library (1 publication) (from synonym Loxotrema capillaris (L.) Raf.)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (1 publication) (from synonym Carex capillaris var. minima Beck)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (12 publications) (from synonym Carex plena Clairv.)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (2 publications) (from synonym Carex capillaris var. alpestris Andersson)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (3 publications) (from synonym Carex capillaris var. capillaris)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (3 publications) (from synonym Trasus capillaris (L.) Gray)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (684 publications) 
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Carex capillaris) 
To GenBank (78 nucleotides; 50 proteins) 
To International Plant Names Index (IPNI) 
To International Plant Names Index (IPNI) (from synonym Trasus capillaris (L.) Gray)
To International Plant Names Index (IPNI) (from synonym Carex plena Clairv.)
To International Plant Names Index (IPNI) (from synonym Loxotrema capillaris (L.) Raf.)
To International Plant Names Index (IPNI) (from synonym Carex capillaris var. minima Beck)
To International Plant Names Index (IPNI) (from synonym Carex capillaris f. typica B.Boivin)
To International Plant Names Index (IPNI) (from synonym Carex capillaris var. tenuior Lange)
To Plants of the World Online (from synonym Carex capillaris var. minima Beck)
To Plants of the World Online (from synonym Carex capillaris var. alpestris Andersson)
To Plants of the World Online (from synonym Carex capillaris f. typica B.Boivin)
To Plants of the World Online (from synonym Loxotrema capillaris (L.) Raf.)
To Plants of the World Online (from synonym Trasus capillaris (L.) Gray)
To Plants of the World Online (from synonym Carex plena Clairv.)
To Plants of the World Online 
To Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Carex capillaris K000960883 type 1) 
To Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Carex capillaris K000960884 type 1) 
To the Natural History Museum, London (Carex capillaris L. BM001067080 type 1) 
To the Natural History Museum, London (Carex capillaris L. BM001067081 type 1) 
To The Plant List (from synonym Carex capillaris var. capillaris)
To The Plant List (from synonym Carex capillaris var. tenuior Lange)
From editor or global species database
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