Carex distans
Carex distans
Ssp distans: Sina ayakotu
Stems 25-75 cm, subterete to bluntly trigonous, rigid, ±smooth; basal sheaths mid- to dark brown, somtimes tinged red, entire, some aphyllous. Leaves 2.5-5.5 mm broad, shorter than stems, often only half as long, ± flat, rigid, mid-, dull or greyish-green; ligule 2-3 mm, with opposite, acute or rounded sheath-projection to 6 mm. Malespike usually solitary, subcylindrical to narrowly clavate, 1.5-5.5 cm, usually long-pedunculate. Female spikes 2-4, oblong-cylindrical, 1.2-2.8 cm, ± erect, all usually distant, lower pedunculate to 4 cm; lowest bract longer than spike but shorter than inflorescence, scabrid-margined, sheath to 3 cm. Female glumes ovate, obtuse to acute, usually mucronate, pale mid-green to red-brown with greenish mid-vein. Utricles pale greenish-brown or sometimes yellowish-brown or dark reddish-brown, often purplish-spotted, broadly ovoid, 3.5-4.6 mm, ascending, rather dull, ±distinctly veined, abruptly tapering into an often scabrid, shortly to deeply bifid beak to 1 mm, Saline meadows, damp places, marshy fields, by ditches, coniferous and deciduous forests, waste places, also in shallow water, s.l.-2150m.
Most of Europe , S. Russia, Crimea, N., N.W., W.& C. Iran, N. Iraq, W.Syria, Syrian Desert, Cyprus, Sinai, Arabia, N. Africa. Euro-Sib. element.
