 Photo ©
Carl Farmer |
Occasional on peaty edges of lochs and pools Male spike 10-25 mm, female spikes 7-20 mm, plant up to 40 cm high, usually less. Female glumes c 4 mm, fruit c 3.5 mm Skye ID: Stem curved over with 1-3 female spikes all hanging down on long stalks, and 1 male spike terminating the stem. Female spikes about 3 times as long as broad. Other features: Bract of lowest spike not long enough to reach stem tip. Stems stiff, sharply 3-sided, bluish-green. Female glumes dark brown, fruit dark bluish-green, strongly ribbed, with no apparent beak or very short one < 0.2 mm. Female spikes have 7-20 fruits. The very rare C paupercula/magellanica has less than 10 fruits per spike and at least the top female spike not completely hanging downwards. If found in Skye please report it! |
