Carex raynoldsii Dewey
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TAXONOMY
 
Family: Cyperaceae
Genus: Carex
 
Species Synonyms: Carex lyallii Boott
Common Names: Raynold’s sedge
 
DISTRIBUTION
 
Canada: southern British Columbia – southwestern Alberta, southwestern Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan: southwestern Saskatchewan; Cypress Hills
Ecoregion: Cypress Uplands
 
HABITAT
 
Saskatchewan: open wooded or grassy ravine slopes
Associated Species: lodgepole pine
 
RARITY STATUS
 
Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):
Threatened
Nature Conservancy Status:
G5 S1
Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:
None
COSEWIC Status:
None
 
Raynold’s sedge is threatened in Saskatchewan because it is restricted to the Cypress Hills and because most local populations are small.
 
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
 
Height: 20 – 60 cm
Roots: rootstock stout
Culms: tufted, crown fibre-covered, dead leaves at base; stout, sharply triangular, base purplish-red
Leaves: on the stem and basal shoots, 5 – 10 per fertile stem, about 2/3 as high as inflorescence, 5 – 6 mm wide, flat
Inflorescence: spikes approximate, occasionally lower spike separate; terminal spike male-flowered; lateral spikes 3 – 4, female-flowered, stalks short and stiff
Spike Bracts: green and leaf-like or reduced to awns, lowest not exceeding the male-flowered spike
Staminate: scales lance-shaped, reddish-brown
Pistillate: scales as long as and narrower than perigynia, elliptic, purplish-black, midrib pale
Perigynia: 3 – 4 mm long, nearly circular, inflated, tapering to a point at both ends, 2-ribbed, several nerved, green to bronze at maturity
Beaks: very small, teeth two, purplish
Stigmas: 3
 
 
CAREX KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN
* The reader is also referred to Carex in Saskatchewan by J. Hudson (1977) and Flora of Alberta edited by J. Packer (1983).
   
1 Leaves mostly basal; spike one per stem, terminal; flowers attached to main stem
2
1 Stem leaves usually present; spikes usually two or more per stem, terminal and/or lateral; flowers may not all be attached to main stem
11
   
2 Stigmas 2; achenes lens-shaped
3
2 Stigmas 3; achenes triangular
5
   
3 Rhizome long, slender; stems solitary or few; spikes unisexual, plant with only male or only female inflorescences
C. gynocrates
3 Rhizomes slender or obliquely ascending, if slender, runners present; stems tufted; spikes bisexual, male flowers above or below female flowers in the same spike
4
   
4 Plant tufted with rootstocks obliquely ascending; spikes bisexual, male flowers above female flowers in the same spike
C. capitata ssp. capitata
4 Plant caespitose with slender rhizomes and runners; spikes bisexual, female flowers above male flowers in the same spike
C. mackenziei
   
5 Plant with male and female flowers on separate plants; perigynia somewhat hairy; not tufted
C. scirpoidea
5 Plant with male and female flowers on the same plant, male flowers above female flowers in the same spike; perigynia may or may not be hairy, if hairy, plant tufted
5
   
6 Female flower scales deciduous, scale-like; perigynia short-stalked, spreading or reflexed
C. pauciflora
6 Female flower scales persistent, scale-like or leaf-like; perigynia sessile, not spreading or reflexed
7
   
7 Female flower scales green, leaf-like
8
7 Female flower scales straw-coloured, brownish or green, scale-like
9
   
8 Perigynium 4 – 6 mm long; beak 2 – 3 mm long
C. backii
8 Perigynium ~ 4 mm long; beak ~ 1 mm long
C. saximontana
   
9 Perigynia beakless, many nerved, tip rounded
C. leptalea
9 Perigynia beaked, few nerved, tip not rounded
10
   
10 Perigynia leathery, shining; rhizome long; prairie species
C. obtusata
10 Perigynia minutely hairy, dull; rhizome short or absent, plant tufted; dry grasslands
C. filifolia
   
11 Stigmas 2; achenes lens-shaped
12
11 Stigmas 3; achenes triangular
65
   
12 At least some of the lateral spikes stalked
13
12 Lateral spikes all sessile
21
   
13 Perigynia 3 – 5.5 mm long, shining, inflated, prominently ribbed; beak tubular; style continuous with achene or deciduous
C. saxatilis
[* C. physocarpioides (C. saxatilis x C. utricularia. Infrequent, sterile. With intermediate characteristics.]
13 Perigynia 2 – 3 (4) mm long, not inflated or shining, may be ribbed; beakless; style jointed or continuous with achene
14
   
14 Bract at base of inflorescence distinctly sheathing; male-flowered spike 1; perigynia nearly round in cross section, rounded at tip
15
14 Bract at base of inflorescence nearly sheathless; male-flowered spikes 1 or more; perigynia convex on both sides, sometimes flattened, acute at tip
17
   
15 Lowest bracts as long as or shorter than inflorescence, short-sheathing, may have ear-like lobes; scales purplish-black
C. bicolor
15 Lowest bract leaf-like, as long as or longer than inflorescence, long-sheathing, ear-like lobes lacking; scales various colours
16
   
16 Perigynia whitish, dry, ribbed, crowded in spike; scales reddish-brown to purplish
C. garberi
16 Perigynia golden-yellow to brown, fleshy, ribbed, not crowded in spike; scales whitish to orangish-brown
C. aurea
   
17 Plant tufted; rhizomes lacking; leaves 1 – 3 mm wide; perigynia distinctly nerved
C. lenticularis var. lenticularis
17 Plant not tufted; rhizomes present; leaves 2 – 8 mm wide; perigynia nerved or nerveless
18
   
18 Perigynia 0 – 50 nerved on each face, somewhat inflated, with short bumps on surface
C. paleacea
18 Perigynia nerveless, dotted with pits or glands
19
   
19 Female flower scales acute; achenes indented on one side near middle
C. subspathacea
19 Female flower scales obtuse to acute to awned; achenes not indented
20
   
20 Lowest bract leaf-like, equal to or longer than inflorescence
C. aquatilis
20 Lowest bract bristle-like, shorter than inflorescence
C. bigelowii
   
21 Stems single or loosely tufted (few together) from rhizomes or reclining stems
22
21 Stems densely tufted; rhizomes short
29
 
22 Stems reclining, branching, long prostrate stems with erect flowering branches in axils of dried up leaves; sphagnum bogs
C. chordorriza
22 Stems erect or ascending; habitats various
23
 
23 Plants usually with male and female flowers on separate plants, spikes either completely male-flowered or female-flowered
24
23 Plants with male and female flowers on the same plant, male flowers above or below female flowers in the same spike
26
   
24 Stems obtusely triangular; slender brownish, scaly rhizomes; plants of dry habitats
C. douglasii
24 Stems sharply triangular; rhizomes stout or slender; plants of wet habitats
25
 
25 Perigynia brown, convex on both sides; rhizomes slender, brown; calcareous bogs; rare
C. simulata
25 Perigynia becoming blackish, convex on one side; rhizomes thick, black; moist prairies and sloughs; common
C. praegracilis
 
26 Spikes in more or less spherical heads, appearing like one spike; high northern latitudes
C. maritima
26 Spikes densely aggregated but not in spherical heads, distinct; distribution various
27
 
27 Perigynia wing-margined, beak with two conspicuous teeth; terminal spike with female flowers above male flowers, middle male flowers only, lower female flowers only
C. siccata
27 Perigynia not wing-margined, beak without two conspicuous teeth; spikes with male flowers above female flowers
28
 
28 Upper leaf sheaths green; two darks warts present at junction of leaf blade and sheath
C. sartwellii
28 Upper leaf sheaths transparent or brown; warts at junction of leaf blade and sheath absent
C. duriuscula
 
29 Spikes with male flowers above female flowers
30
29 At least upper spikes with female flowers above male flowers, lateral spikes may be female-flowered
39
 
30 Spikes few-flowered, with 2 – 3 perigynia and 1 – 2 male flowers
C. disperma
30 Spikes with numerous flowers
31
 
31 Spikes 4 – 10, no more than one spike per axis node; sheaths not red-dotted
32
31 Spikes numerous, axis nodes may have 2 or more spikes; sheath often red-dotted ventrally or copper-tinged
35
 
32 Leaves < 2 mm wide; spikes widely spaced, in linear arrangement; female flower scales short-awned
C. hookerana
32 Leaves > 2 mm wide; spikes bunched into round or ovoid arrangement; female flower scales not awned (may be short awned in C. gravida)
33
 
33 Arrangement of spikes spherical or rounded; Cypress Hills
C. hoodii
33 Arrangement of spikes ovoid, at least 2 x as long as broad; southern Saskatchewan
34
 
34 Stems markedly triangular, not wing-margined
C. gravida var. gravida
34 Stems becoming flattened in drying, wing-margined
C. alopecoidea
 
35 Sheaths loose; stems soft and spongy; perigynia spongy and corky
36
35 Sheaths tight; stems slender and firm; perigynia firm
37
 
36 Perigynia oval, at most only slightly surpassing scales; leaves 2 – 6 mm wide
C. alopecoidea
36 Perigynia triangular, surpassing the scales; leaves 4 – 10 mm wide
C. stipata var. stipata
 
37 Female flower scales awned; perigynia yellowish or straw-coloured, blackish in age; leaf sheaths cross-wrinkled
C. vulpinoidea var. vulpinoidea
37 Female flower scales tapered to the tip; perigynia brownish or black; leaf sheaths not cross wrinkled
38
 
38 Leaf sheath copper-tinged at summit; perigynia brownish, convex on one side
C. prairea
38 Leaf sheath red-dotted; perigynia blackish, convex on both sides
C. diandra
 
39 Perigynia narrowly or broadly winged, not thickened at base; beak present, usually with two teeth; achene narrower than perigynium
40
39 Perigynia at most thin-edged, thickened at base; beak, if present, with two teeth or not; achene more than half as wide as perigynium
45
 
40 Bracts leaf-like OR clearly surpassing the spikes; spikes aggregated into a terminal head-like cluster
41
40 Bracts not leaf-like, shorter than spikes; spikes aggregated into lateral and terminal clusters
42
 
41 Bracts leaf-like; female flower scales greenish-white; stems smooth
C. syncocephala
41 Bracts clearly surpassing the spikes but not leaf-like; female flower scales reddish-brown and copper-margined; stems roughened below the head
C. athrostachya
 
42 Perigynia narrowly triangular, < 1 mm wide
C. crawfordii
42 Perigynia lance-shaped, elliptic, oval, or round, > 1 mm wide
43
 
43 Perigynia concealed by female flower scales or nearly so
44
43 Perigynia not concealed by narrower or shorter female flower scales
49
 
44 Perigynia beak flattened and markedly saw-toothed to tip, two teeth present
45
44 Perigynia beak nearly round, if saw-toothed, only slightly so, two teeth not noticeably present
48
 
45 Inflorescence like a string of beads
46
45 Inflorescence not like a string of beads, spikes aggregated or approximate
47
 
46 Female flower scales larger than or equal to perigynia; leaf sheaths tight
C. foena var. foena
46 Female flower scales smaller than perigynia; leaf sheaths weak
C. projecta
 
47 Scales pale or silvery, appressed; spikes approximate
C. xerantica
47 Scales brown, ascending; spikes aggregated
C. adusta
 
48 Perigynium 6 – 8 mm long, widest near the middle
C. petasata
48 Perigynium 4 – 6 mm long, widest at the base
C. pratincola
 
49 Perigynium narrowly lance-shaped
C. scoparia
49 Perigynium oval, elliptic, or round
50
 
50 Beak of perigynium round in cross section and only slightly saw-toothed
51
50 Beak of perigynium flattened and saw-toothed to tip
52
 
51 Perigynia reddish to dark coppery-brown
C. pachystachya
51 Perigynia straw-coloured or light green to brown
C. microptera
 
52 Perigynium 4 – 6 mm long, nearly round, leathery
C. brevior
52 Perigynium 3 – 4 mm long, oval, membranaceous
53
 
53 Spikes distant, inflorescence like a string of beads; perigynia straw-coloured at maturity; leaves 1 – 3 mm wide
C. tenera
53 Spikes closely aggregated; perigynia brown at maturity; leaves 2 – 6 mm wide
54
 
54 Perigynia wing-margined to base; leaves < 4 mm wide
C. bebbii
54 Perigynia wing-margined, but reduced at base; leaves > 4 mm wide
C. cristatella
 
55 Perigynia thin-edged, not pitted or gland-dotted, spreading or reflexed
56
55 Perigynia with rounded margins, pitted or gland dotted or not, ascending
58
 
56 Perigynium beak < 1/3 overall perigynium length; female flower scales shorter than perigynium body
C. interior
56 Perigynium beak > 1/3 overall perigynium length; female flower scales longer than perigynium body
57
 
57 Perigynia obscurely nerved or nerveless ventrally
C. echinata
57 Perigynia lightly to strongly nerved on both faces
C. sterilis
 
58 Perigynia > 4 mm long, not pitted or gland-dotted; beak long, with two teeth; achene occupying 1/2 to 1/3 or perigynium
C. deweyana
58 Perigynia < 4 mm long, white-dotted; beak short or absent; achene filling body or perigynium
59
 
59 Lowest bract exceeding inflorescence by several times; spikes 1 – 5-flowered; perigynia 3 – 4 mm long
C. trisperma
59 Bracts absent or lowest bract shorter than inflorescence; spikes several flowered; perigynia < 3 mm long
60
 
60 Perigynia beakless; scales silvery to white transparent; slender runners present
61
60 Perigynia short-beaked; scales greenish or brownish to straw-coloured or rusty; runners absent
62
 
61 Spikes 2 – 4, aggregated; perigynia faintly nerved
C. tenuiflora
61 Spikes 3 – 5, remote; perigynia strongly nerved or ribbed
C. loliacea
 
62 Perigynia oval, beak saw-toothed; spikes 6 – many
C. arcta
62 Perigynia broadest near middle, beak smooth to moderately saw-toothed; spikes 2 - 9
63
 
63 Spikes 3 – 4, spherical, more or less overlapping; scales reddish
C. heleonastes
63 Spikes 4 or more, cone-shaped or ellipsoidal, inflorescence interrupted, only upper spikes overlapping if at all; scales greenish to straw-coloured
64
 
64 Plants green; spikes 5 – 15-flowered; woodland species
C. brunnescens
64 Plants bluish-green; spikes 15 – 30-flowered; bog species
C. canescens ssp. canescens
 
65 Perigynia beak markedly toothed, teeth conspicuous, usually two
66
65 Perigynia beakless or beaked, beak if present, without conspicuous teeth
86
 
66 Perigynia at least somewhat hairy; style jointed with achene
67
66 Perigynia hairless; style jointed or continuous with achene
76
 
67 Achenes with convex sides; lower bracts shorter than or equal to inflorescence
68
67 Achenes with flat sides; lower bracts longer than inflorescence
74
 
68 Hairs on perigynia reduced to one line on each side of the two ribs
C. tonsa var. tonsa
68 Perigynia distinctly hairy
69
 
69 Female-flowered spikes all on the stem; stems all elongate
70
69 Some female-flowered spikes short-stalked at the base of the plant; stems of various lengths
72
 
70 Male-flowered spike 10 – 20 mm long; perigynium body spherical; scales about as long as perigynium; dry prairies
C. inops ssp. heliophila
70 Male-flowered spike 2 – 10 mm long; perigynium body ellipsoid to spindle-shaped to obovoid; scales shorter than perigynium, usually about up to base of beak; woodlands
71
 
71 Perigynia > 3 mm long; scales with white sides; male-flowered spike 5 – 10 mm long; stems 15 – 30 cm tall
C. peckii
71 Perigynia < 3 mm long; scales with purple sides; male-flowered spike 2 – 5 mm long; stems 5 – 15 cm tall
C. deflexa
 
72 Bracts of female-flowered spikes on the stem poorly developed; remnants of old leaves stiff and shredded
C. umbellata
72 Bracts of female-flowered spikes on the stem well developed; remnants of old leaves soft and only slightly shredded if at all
73
 
73 Rhizomes slender; leaves soft and thin; male-flowered spike 2 – 5 mm long, nearly stalkless
C. deflexa
73 Rhizomes stout; leaves thin but firm; male-flowered spike 3 – 15 mm long, stalked
C. rossii
 
74 Stems 1 – 3; perigynia finely hairy, 5 – 7 mm long, conspicuously nerved; dry habitats
C. houghtoniana
74 Stems many, bunched; perigynia densely hairy, 3 – 5 mm long, nerves obscured by hairs; damp or aquatic habitats
75
 
75 Leaves thread-like or inrolled, < 2 mm wide; old leaf sheaths persistent at base of stem
C. lasiocarpa var. americana
75 Leaves flat, 2 – 5 mm wide; old leaf sheaths absent
C. pellita
 
76 Style entirely deciduous from achene, no part persistent; leaves without minute bumps
C. sprengellii
76 Style not withering to base, lower part of style persisting as a “prong”; leaves usually with minute bumps
77
 
77 Perigynia narrowly triangular; female-flowered spikes spherical; northern latitudes
C. michauxiana
77 Perigynia lance-shaped to oval; female-flowered spikes longer than broad; distribution varies
78
 
78 Perigynia leathery, not shining; scarcely inflated
79
78 Perigynia membranous, thin, shining or not; usually inflated
82
 
79 Female flower scales with a short narrow body and a long rough awn; wet woodland species
C. pseudocyperus
79 Female flower scales tapered to the tip, the body visible; large water sedges
80
 
80 Leaves long-hairy beneath, sheaths long-hairy; teeth or perigynium beak prominent, 1.5 – 3 mm long, divergent
C. atherodes
80 Leaves and sheaths hairless; teeth of perigynium beak short, < 1.5 mm long, nearly straight
81
 
81 Perigynia teeth 1 – 1.5 mm long; large sedge, stem 60 – 150 cm tall
C. lacustris
81 Perigynia teeth < 1 mm long; average-sized sedge, stem 30 – 80 cm tall
C. laeviconica
 
82 Perigynia 12 – 25 nerved, not shining
C. hystericina
82 Perigynia 7 – 9 nerved, shining
83
 
83 Lower perigynia reflexed; lower bracts exceeding inflorescence by at least 2 x; spikes approximate
C. retrorsa
83 Lower perigynia ascending to spreading; lower bracts exceeding inflorescence, but by < 2 x; spikes often distant
84
 
84 Rhizomes absent; perigynia ascending at maturity, in 6 – 8 vertical rows
C. vesicaria var. raeana
84 Rhizomes present; perigynia spreading at maturity, in 8 – 12 or more vertical rows
85
 
85 Stems 40 – 70 cm tall; leaves 2 – 6 mm wide; female spikes densely 50 – 125-flowered
C. rostrata
85 Stems 50 – 80 cm tall; leaves 4 – 8 mm wide; female spikes densely 100 – 200-flowered
C. utricularia
 
86 Perigynia more or less hairy
87
86 Perigynia hairless
95
 
87 Female spikes loosely flowered; perigynia narrowly lance-shaped
C. assiniboinensis
87 Female spikes densely flowered; perigynia oval or elliptic
88
 
88 Perigynia round in cross section; female flower bracts sheathless
89
88 Perigynia obtusely triangular; female flower bracts long-sheathing
93
 
89 Female-flowered spikes all on the stem; stems all elongate
90
89 Some female-flowered spikes short-stalked at the base of the plant; stems of various lengths
91
 
90 Perigynia > 3 mm long; scales with white sides; male-flowered spike 5 – 10 mm long; stems 15 – 30 cm tall
C. peckii
90 Perigynia < 3 mm long; scales with purple sides; male-flowered spike 2 – 5 mm long; stems 5 – 15 cm tall
C. deflexa
 
91 Bracts of female-flowered spikes on the stem poorly developed; remnants of old leaves stiff and shredded
C. umbellata
91 Bracts of female-flowered spikes on the stem well developed; remnants of old leaves soft and only slightly shredded if at all
92
 
92 Rhizomes slender; leaves soft and thin; male-flowered spike 2 – 5 mm long, nearly stalkless
C. deflexa
92 Rhizomes stout; leaves thin but firm; male-flowered spike 3 – 15 mm long, stalked
C. rossii
 
93 Terminal spike with male flowers above female flowers, lower spikes on long hair-like stalks; female flower scales awned
C. pedunculata
93 Terminal spike male-flowered, lower (female-flowered) spikes stalkless or short-stalked; female flower scales blunt-tipped
94
 
94 Male-flowered spike < 6 mm long, stalkless; perigynia 2-ribbed with several nerves; stigma short
C. cocinna
94 Male-flowered spike to 2 cm long, short-stalked; perigynia 2-ribbed but otherwise nerveless; stigma long
C. richardsonii
 
95 Leaves and sheaths hairy; perigynia hairless but appearing felty and conspicuously 15 – 25-nerved
C. torreyi
95 Leaves and sheaths hairless; perigynia otherwise
96
 
96 Leaf sheath > 3 mm long
97
96 Leaf sheath < 3 mm long or sheathless
105
 
97 Leaves thread-like; bracts bladeless but sheathing
C. eburnea
97 Leaves > 0.5 mm wide; bracts with well developed blades
98
 
98 Female-flowered spikes elongate, < 4 mm wide, on hair-like stalks; plants tufted
C. capillaries
98 Female-flowered spikes short, > 4 mm wide, on short stalks; plants tufted or rhizomatous
99
 
99 Plants tufted; perigynia conspicuously nerved
100
99 Plants rhizomatous; perigynia obscurely nerved, if at all
102
 
100 Spikes nearly stalkless, closely bunched; perigynia 6 – 14-nerved
C. viridula ssp. viridula
100 Spikes stalked, the lower distant; perigynia 15 – 30-nerved
101
 
101 Perigynia sharply triangular, narrowed at base to stalk; beak at right angles to perigynia
C. leptonervia
101 Perigynia nearly round, rounded at base; stalk absent; beak straight, very small
C. granularis var. haleana
 
102 Perigynium body widest below middle, rounded at base
C. crawei
102 Perigynium body widest at or above middle and tapering to acute base
103
 
103 Perigynia beaked, beak toothless; leaves deep green
C. vaginata
103 Perigynia beakless; leaves bluish-green or gray-green
104
 
104 Leaves bluish-green, < 3.5 mm wide, soon folded or inrolled; northern bog species
C. livida
104 Leaves gray-green, 2 – 5 mm wide, flat; prairies
C. tetanica
 
105 Perigynia inflated and shiny; female-flowered spikes sessile, globular
106
105 Perigynia not both inflated and shiny; female-flowered spikes nearly stalkless to stalked, elongate
107
 
106 Perigynia ~ 7 mm long; style not withering at maturity; plant 50 – 80 cm tall
C. oligosperma
106 Perigynia 2 – 4 mm long; style withering at maturity; plant 5 – 20 cm tall
C. supina var. spaniocarpa
 
107 Perigynia conspicuously many nerved
108
107 Perigynia obscurely nerved, may have 2 conspicuous marginal nerves
113
 
108 Perigynia spreading to reflexed
C. cryptolepis
108 Perigynia ascending to appressed
109
 
109 Stems lateral, previous year’s leaves on separate shoots
C. buxbaumii
109 Stems central, surrounded by persistent leaves of preceding year’s growth
110
 
110 Stem leaves absent or only a few towards base of stem; perigynia 1.5 – 2.5 mm long; female flower scales 1.5 – 2.5 mm long
111
110 Stems leaves on lower 1/4 of stem; perigynia 3 – 4.5 mm long; female flower scales > 2.5 mm long
112
 
111 Scales as long as perigynia, brownish; stems obtusely triangular
C. parryana var. parryana
111 Scales much shorter than perigynia, purplish; stem sharply triangular
C. norvegica ssp. inferalpina
 
112 Perigynia almost circular, little pitted or gland-dotted; terminal spike male-flowered; Cypress Hills
C. raynoldsii
112 Perigynia flattened, markedly pitted; terminal spike with female flowers above male flowers; northern mixed wood forest
C. raymondii
 
113 Perigynia nearly round; achenes smooth surfaced
C. glacialis
113 Perigynia flat-triangular to lens-shaped; achenes with bumps
114
 
114 Rootlets with yellow fuzz; terminal spike male-flowered
115
114 Rootlets without yellow fuzz; terminal spike with female flowers above male
116
 
115 Female flower scales long tapered; male spike 4 – 12 mm; leaves to 3 mm broad, flat
C. magellanica ssp. irrigua
115 Female flower scales short tapered; male spike 10 – 30 mm; leaves less than or equal to 3 mm broad, somewhat inrolled
C. limosa
 
116 Stems lateral, previous year’s leaves on separate shoots
C. buxbaumii
116 Stems central, surrounded by persistent leaves from preceding years
C. norvegica ssp. inferalpina