Carex setosa Boott

Reported from Gilgit, Hazara and Kashmir by Stewart (l.c.) and C.B.Clarke (l.c.).

Stoloniferous perennial, 30-50 cm. Stem 0.7-1 mm diam., obtusely trigonous smooth. Leaves flexuous, 1/3 of stem length; sheaths 20-30 mm, grey-brown, disintegrating into fibres, margin of scarious side concave; ligule c. 0.2 mm, scarious, brownish, arch in lower leaves much lower than wide, in upper more than twice the width; blades 1-2.5 mm wide, flat or folded, margins narrowly revolute, scabrous towards apex. Inflorescence of terminal male spike and 2-3 female spikes below. Bracts green, the lowest to equalling its spike, sheath to 60 mm. Male spikes 20-45 x 2-2.5 mm, fusiform, male glumes c. 6.2 x 2 mm, pale yellow-brown, lanceolate, obtuse, scarious. Female spikes 25-45 x c. 2 mm, fusiform or club-shaped, lax, rather erect, peduncles up to 100 mm; female glumes 2.3-3 x 1.8-2.2 mm, brown, obtuse to truncate with arista up to 0.7 mm, margins scarious; utricles 3.2-3.5 x 0.7-1 mm, fusiform, brown, setose mainly along lateral nerves, stipe up to 0.7 mm; beak 0.8-1.2 mm, shallowly bifid or oblique, with prominent setose lateral nerves. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 1.8 x 0.7-0.8 mm, ellipsoid, obtusely trigonous, yellow, reticulate with papilla in each areole.

Himalaya (Kashmir, Nepal), S.W. China.

Distribution: From Pakistan to Sikkim and China.

3400-3800 m

Marshes.