Sedge Buster Lesson 8 - pictures are of Carex reniformis maybe
Good! I Crumby can work alone fer the nonce and reflect a bit. Back when I was doing sedge busting seriously, fer money, Section Ovales troubled me becasue I generally couldn't figure out my specimens to species. Times change, but apparently I don't. I still don't feel entirely comfortable calling this one C. reniformis which is what I called it back in '97. Also, the specimen is from Harris County right across the street from an EPA superfund site, so it may be irradiated er somethin'. Plus there's the C. brevior situation to consider. If ye would like to consider C. brevior feel free to compare the treatment of the Section Ovales in the Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas to the same in the Flora of North Texas.
In any event, fer this lesson we are interested in the character that separates the Section Ovales from all the other bi-stigmate, flat peryginate caric sedges, gynecandry, or as my bosom companion Ray would allow, the girls are on top. To the east somewhere is a picture of the girls are on top. It shows an Ovales spikelet with female scales and peryginia distally with male scales and flowers proximally. If ye look closely ye can espy the wispy little white staminate parts stickin' out here and there. Also, the spike is broken off with just a few male flowers still attached to the distal part above the break. The general aspect of an Ovales spike always reminds me of a cat's tail when the cat's lalaed off, a bottlebrush.
A second picture shows the ventral side of a peryginia. Note that the body of the peryginia, the lower part before the beak starts, is maybe a little wider than long and broadly winged. Those whitish things on the edges are called wings. Also, note the three or so, vague veins, right on top of the achene body which ye can see outlined under the peryginia.
Yep. I am not fond of Section Ovales. They are a nasty bunch. And the same, only more so, can be said fer the even much nastier Section Poroacystis, which will be lesson 9. After the upcomin' lesson 9 is history, it will be clear sailing.
The Crumby Ovate signing off fer me, the Crumby Ovate.
____
That dern Rayetta. I got to do some payback fer that ear thumpin'.
In any event, fer this lesson we are interested in the character that separates the Section Ovales from all the other bi-stigmate, flat peryginate caric sedges, gynecandry, or as my bosom companion Ray would allow, the girls are on top. To the east somewhere is a picture of the girls are on top. It shows an Ovales spikelet with female scales and peryginia distally with male scales and flowers proximally. If ye look closely ye can espy the wispy little white staminate parts stickin' out here and there. Also, the spike is broken off with just a few male flowers still attached to the distal part above the break. The general aspect of an Ovales spike always reminds me of a cat's tail when the cat's lalaed off, a bottlebrush.
A second picture shows the ventral side of a peryginia. Note that the body of the peryginia, the lower part before the beak starts, is maybe a little wider than long and broadly winged. Those whitish things on the edges are called wings. Also, note the three or so, vague veins, right on top of the achene body which ye can see outlined under the peryginia. Yep. I am not fond of Section Ovales. They are a nasty bunch. And the same, only more so, can be said fer the even much nastier Section Poroacystis, which will be lesson 9. After the upcomin' lesson 9 is history, it will be clear sailing.
The Crumby Ovate signing off fer me, the Crumby Ovate.
____
That dern Rayetta. I got to do some payback fer that ear thumpin'.
posted by ray pistrum at Wednesday, February 22, 2006
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