Publication: Sp. Pl. 4(1): 230. 1805.

Origin: Native

selected vouchers: WTU

Notes: FNA23: "Carex scoparia is variable and may, in fact, be a complex of at least 2 species. Given current understanding, 2 varieties are recognized.

Some populations of Carex scoparia from the central and southern Appalachian Mountains have unusually long beaks (greater than 3.7 mm). When long beaks occur in more robust plants with large spikes and spreading perigynia, the plants look remarkably different from typical lowland or western populations.

Carex scoparia var. scoparia grows syntopically with other species from sect. Ovales and may form sterile hybrids. P. E. Rothrock et al. (1997) documented putative hybrids between C. scoparia and C. alata, C. hormathodes, C. straminea, and C. suberecta."

References: (none)