Publication: Leafl. W. Bot. 9: 16. 1959.

Origin: Native

Herbarium search: CPNWH

Notes: FNA23: "Carex scopulorum is the common species of sect. Phacocystis in subalpine, seasonally wet meadows in the western mountains. It is replaced on the western slope of the Cascade range by C. spectabilis, a member of sect. Scitae. Where sympatric with C. aquatilis, C. scopulorum occurs in drier portions of the habitat.

Carex scopulorum is frequently confused with members of sect. Racemosae because of the similarity in habitat, size, inflorescence dimensions, and perigynium shape; it is distinguished by the two stigmas and flattened achenes. Carex scopulorum is probably most closely related to C. bigelowii, based on the similarity in vegetative morphology, hypostomic leaves, perigynia characteristics (absence of veins), and chromosome numbers.

A common sedge of the central Rocky Mountains, Carex scopulorum var. bracteosa is distinguished from var. scopulorum by the scabrous stems and sheaths and by the narrower, more ellipsoid perigynia. It is usually distinguishable from var. prionophylla by the absence of bladeless, ladder-fibrillose sheaths; the two taxa may be difficult to identify in areas where both occur."

Last updated 11/8/2023 by David Giblin.