Sedge Buster Lesson 4 (pictures are of Carex gravida)

All righty then. Continuing onward with our survey of the caric sedges (Section Phaestoglochin) we have now two key characterisitcs of interest, baggy sheaths and peryginia that are spongy at the base. First let's consider the very annoying baggy sheaths. Baggy is when the leaf sheath does not fit tightly around the culm. As you can see here, I have inserted the tip of a big sewing needle underneath the sheath auricle, top of the sheath, of this caric sedge. This was easy cause there's space between the auricle and culm (the non leafy stem that holds the spike(s)). If, on the other hand, the sheath was tight on the culm it would be like a fatty in spandex and I would have real trouble putting a needle under the auricle without ripping it. Once I tried to keep my hand under a fatty's spandex for a while, but the blood circulation to my hand was soon cut off. So perhaps you can understand what I mean if you have done that too, put your hand under under a fatty's spandex. However, the upcoming Lesson 5 will show you a tight sheath on a caric sedge in case you are not as worldly as Ray and me. Also we will label the next one, sheath, stem (culm), and auricle.

The second picture here shows a Carex gravida achene on the left and a C. gravida peryginiawith part of the peryginia removed to show the achene on the right to demonstrate that this species does not have a peryginia with a spongy base. Spongy base is also a very troubling key character that we will show you a picture of in Lesson 5. As you will see, when a spongy base is present, it looks like there's a piece of sponge inside the peryginia at the base of the achene.

We chose C. gravida for this lesson because it is pretty much the only Phaestoglochin caric sedge in Texas with a baggy leaf sheath. Specimen is from Tarrant County, 1997.

Now I am weary and wine soaked as is my bosom companion Ray. And we are, that is both my bosom companion and me, both deeply troubled about Rayetta and her libido.