Carex retrorsa Schwein.

Stems 3–10 dm, densely clustered on a very short rhizome; lvs septate-nodulose (especially the sheaths), mostly 4–10 mm wide; lvs subtending the pistillate spikes sheathless or only shortly sheathing, at least the lowest one generally several times as long as the infl; spikes several, crowded, sessile or nearly so, or the lowest one more remote and slender-pedunculate; lower spikes pistillate, the upper staminate or androgynous; pistillate spikes 1.5–5 × 1.5–2 cm; pistillate scales conspicuous, shorter and narrower than the perigynia; perigynia numerous, densely crowded in 8+ rows, widely spreading or the lowest ones retrorse, glabrous, shining, evidently 6–13-nerved, 7–10 mm, firm-walled but somewhat inflated, ellipsoid to subglobose and often somewhat oblique, narrowed to a prominent, slender, smooth beak 2–3(–4) mm with short (0.3–0.9 mm) teeth; achene dark brownish, narrowly trigonous, 2 mm, loose in the lower part of the perigynium, the persistent, bony style becoming contorted with maturity; 2n=70. Swampy woods and wet meadows; Que. to B.C., s. to Del., Md., Ind., Io., and Oreg.