Cyperaceae - Carex nevadensis Boiss. & Reut.

Boissier, P.E. & Reuter, G.F. (1852). Pugillus plantarum novarum Africae borealis Hispaniaeque australis. Genevae: Ex typographia Ferd. Ramboz et socii. , available online at https://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/idurl/1/9477
page(s): 118 [details]

Type data

Lectotype G 00191514, geounit Spain

Lectotype G 00191514, geounit Spain [details]

Descriptive notes

Taxonomic remark Carex nevadensis is an endemic species of the high mountain ranges of southeastern Spain (Sierra Nevada, Filabres, and...

Taxonomic remark Carex nevadensis is an endemic species of the high mountain ranges of southeastern Spain (Sierra Nevada, Filabres, and Tejeda). Specimens previously cited as C. nevadensis from other Iberian mountain ranges and various locations in Europe and the Mediterranean actually correspond to dwarf forms of C. flava, C. lepidocarpa, C. demissa, or hybrids among them (see Jiménez-Mejías et al., 2012 https://doi.org/10.1600/036364412X635449; 2017 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189769). These reduced-morphology plants can be quite variable in the development of their characters, but they are usually distinguishable from C. nevadensis by their wider bracts and slightly larger utricles. In these forms growing at the highest altitudes, differentiation can be complex, though often possible: they have green or yellowish utricles with generally straight beaks, whereas in Carex nevadensis, the utricles are dark brown, and at least some beaks are reflexed.
Part of the confusion arises from A.O. Chater's synonymization [in Tutin & al. (eds.), Fl. Eur. 5: 310] of Carex nevadensis with C. flava var. alpina, the latter being a high-mountain form of C. flava described from Central Europe. [details]

Taxonomic citation

Cyperaceae Working Group. (2025). [see How to cite]. Global Cyperaceae Database. Carex nevadensis Boiss. & Reut.. Accessed at: https://www.cyperaceae.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1694693 on 2025-04-02

Taxonomic edit history

Date

action

2023-09-06 09:29:14Z

created

Jiménez-Mejías, Pedro

2024-10-23 08:08:46Z

changed

Jiménez-Mejías, Pedro

2025-03-27 10:38:29Z

changed

Jiménez-Mejías, Pedro

Licensing

The webpage text is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License

[taxonomic tree]

Nomenclature

original description Boissier, P.E. & Reuter, G.F. (1852). Pugillus plantarum novarum Africae borealis Hispaniaeque australis. Genevae: Ex typographia Ferd. Ramboz et socii. , available online at https://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/idurl/1/9477
page(s): 118 [details]

basis of record Plants of the World Online (POWO). , available online at https://powo.science.kew.org/ [details]

Taxonomy

taxonomy source Jiménez-Mejías, P.; Luceño, M.; Martín-Bravo, S. (2014). Species boundaries within the southwest old world populations of the carex flava group (cyperaceae). Systematic Botany, 39(1): 117-131., available online at https://doi.org/10.1600/036364414X677973 [details] Available for editors

[request]

taxonomy source Luceño, M.; Escudero, M.; Jiménez-Mejías, P. (2008). Carex L. In Castroviejo S., Luceño M., Galán A., Jiménez-Mejías P., Cabezas F., Medina L. (eds.), Flora Iberica. Vol. XVIII: Cyperaceae-Pontederiaceae. Madrid: Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC., available online at http://www.floraiberica.es/floraiberica/texto/pdfs/18_173_20_Carex.pdf
page(s): 198 [details] Available for editors

[request]

Other

additional source Jiménez-Mejías, P.; Martín-Bravo, S.; Luceño, M. (2012). Systematics and taxonomy of Carex sect. Ceratocystis (cyperaceae) in Europe: A molecular and cytogenetic approach. Systematic Botany, 37(2): 382-398., available online at https://doi.org/10.1600/036364412X635449
note: Phylogenetics, cytogenetics [details] Available for editors

[request]

additional source Luceño, M.; Martín Bravo, M.; Sánchez, S.; Villegas, R.; Algarra Ávila, J. A.; Casimiro Soriguer, F.; Hidalgo Triana, N.; Fabado Alós, J.; Fernández Pascual, E.; Jiménez-Alfaro, B.; Pérez Haase, A.; Román Hernández, R.; Jiménez Mejías, P. (2024). Aportaciones al conocimiento de las ciperáceas, con especial referencia a los taxones ibéricos. <em>Flora Montiberica.</em> 89: 35-41.
note: Chorological record [details] Available for editors

[request]

additional source Jiménez-Mejías, P.; Benítez-Benítez, C.; Fernández-Mazuecos, M.; Martín-Bravo, S. (2017). Cut from the same cloth: The convergent evolution of dwarf morphotypes of the Carex flava group (Cyperaceae) in Circum-Mediterranean mountains. <em>PLOS ONE.</em> 12(12): e0189769., available online at https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189769
note: Convergent evolution of dwarf morphotypes in Carex sect. Ceratocystis [details] Available for editors

[request]

Present

Inaccurate

Introduced: alien

Containing type locality

Lectotype G 00191514, geounit Spain [details]

From editor or global species database

Translation Caespitose. Fertile stems (1)3-12(20) cm, obtusely trigonous, smooth. Leaves 1-3.1 mm wide, as long as or shorter than the stems, flat, somewhat rigid, light green, ± smooth; ligule 1.5-2 mm, with a ± obtuse apex; without antiligule; basal sheaths ± entire, light brown. Lower bract 1.5-3.2 cm × 0.9-1.5 mm, generally as long as or shorter than the inflorescence, very rarely slightly longer, setaceous or very shortly leaf-like. Male spike solitary, very rarely two, (5)6-10(12) × 1.2-2.5(2.8) mm, fusiform, sessile or nearly so; female spikes (1)2-3(5), 4-10 × 3-6 mm, ± grouped near the male spike, sometimes the lower one subbasal, subglobose, the upper one(s) sometimes androgynous. Male glumes oval, obtuse, brown, with a narrow scarious margin; female glumes oval, acute, dark reddish-brown, with a lighter central band and a narrow scarious margin, uninerved. Utricles (1.5)2.2-3(3.1) × 0.7-1.7 mm, the lower ones reflexed, those in the upper half spreading to patent-erect, and the apical ones usually erect, elliptic in outline, trigonous, with multiple nerves, dark brown at least in the apical half, more rarely light brown, abruptly contracted into a beak 0.8-1.5 mm, ± reflexed in the utricles of the lower half of the spike (15-60º relative to the utricle body), straight or nearly so in the upper ones, bifid, smooth or with scattered prickles. Achenes 1.1-1.5 × 0.6-1.1 mm, obovate in outline, trigonous. [details]

Definitions