New York Flora Association Award
Best Overall Botany Related Oral Presentation – Honorable Mention
Paying Close Attention in the Field: Lessons from Carex Section Acrocystis
Werier*, David. (30 Banks Rd., Brooktondale, NY 14817) (* indicates presenting author)
Carex nigromarginata (section Acrocystis) was rediscovered in NY in the Hudson Highlands in 2002. After this rediscovery, numerous populations were encountered at various sites throughout the Highlands. Due in part to past confusion in the literature regarding the “basal spikes” of C. nigromarginata and members of section Acrocystis, I began investigating the entire section with hopes of clarifying the use of basal spikes for identification purposes. This led to the discovery of an undescribed species of Carex (C. sp. nov.) in section Acrocystis (formal description has been submitted for publication) which, along with C. nigromarginata, near their northern limit in southeastern NY. In the past, Carex sp. nov. has mostly been misidentified as either C. umbellata or C. nigromarginata. Carex umbellata misidentifications appear to be the result of misunderstanding the concept of basal spikes or fast determinations. The two are easily separated by presence (C. umbellata) or absence (C. sp. nov.) of basal spikes. Carex nigromarginata misidentifications are perhaps the result of collectors viewing C. sp. nov. as part of the variability of C. nigromarginata. Key differences are leaf width and culm height (C. nigromarginata has wider leaves and taller culms). In the core of the range of these two species, they are common and often grow together making the discovery that the two are distinct more difficult. The realization that C. sp. nov. was indeed different was facilitated by its occurrence adjacent to C. nigromarginata in the Highlands where the two are rare and only occur as tiny populations.
