Carex hirtifolia Mack.

Loosely tufted, 3–6 dm; lvs soft and flaccid, softly hairy, 3–7 mm wide, the 2 mid-lateral veins conspicuous on the upper side; spikes 2–4, approximate or the lower somewhat separate; lowest bract sheathless, with blade surpassing the spike; upper bracts smaller; terminal spike staminate, slender, 1–2 cm; lateral spikes pistillate, sessile or short-peduncled, 8–15 mm; pistillate scales obovate, with broad hyaline margins and green midvein excurrent into a short awn nearly or quite equaling the perigynium; perigynia trigonous, hairy, nerveless, the obovoid body 2.6–3.5 mm, abruptly rounded into a slender erect beak 0.8–1.3 mm; achene trigonous, filling the perigynium. Woods; N.B. and Que. to Minn., s. to Md., W.Va., Ky., Mo., and e. Kans.