Eriophorum chamissonis C.A. Meyer
Fl. Alt. I: 70. 1829.
Eriophorum russeolum Fries ex Hartman var. albidum (W. Nyl.) Fern.
Eriophorum russeolum var. leucothrix (Blomgr.) Hultén
Eriophorum russeolum f. leucothrix Blomgr.
Eriophorum chamissonis C.A. Meyer var. albidum (W. Nyl.) Fern.
Eriophorum russeolum Fries var. albidum Nyl.
Eriophorum russeolum Fries var. leucothrix (Bomgr.) Hultén
Plants not caespitose. Plants with branches sometimes arising close together; more than 15 cm high; 20–30(–50) cm high. Roots pallid-brown. Ground level or underground stems horizontal; rhizomatous, or stoloniferous; elongate. Scales present. Aerial stems erect; not filiform (1.0–2.5 mm in diameter); circular or oval in cross section; glabrous. Leaves mostly basal; simple. Sheaths greyish brown, or brown (sometimes reddish); with the margins fused to the apex; glabrous. Ligules present; 0.5–1 mm long; transversely oblong; apices obtuse; entire. Blades herbaceous; straight; linear; flat; glabrous. Blades adaxial surface glabrous.
Flowering stems conspicuously taller than the leaves; glabrous. Leaf or reduced bract closely associated with the base of the inflorescence absent. Inflorescence spicate; dense; oblong, or obovate (higher than wide at maturity); 2.5–5 cm long; 20–40 mm wide; a single spike. Individual spike(s) erect. Bisexual spike(s) with empty bracts at the base (2–6 bracts 0.8–1.2 cm long). Terminal spike with both sexes in each floret. Flowers sessile or subsessile. Floral scales pale grey; with margins paler than body of scale; acute; 5–7(–15) mm long; 2–4 mm wide; glabrous. Perianth represented by bristles (c. 30 mm long); bristles silky white, or translucent (sometimes with a brownish tinge). Anthers 1.4–1.7(–3) mm long (linear). Stigmas per style 3. Fruit 1.6–2 mm long; brown (pale). Achenes trigonous.
Chromosome information. 2n = 58.
Distribution. Circumpolar. Low arctic. Range in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago limited. Rare. Arctic Islands: Baffin.
Ecology and habitat. Substrate around the margins of ponds (in mud), marshes; imperfectly drained; silt; with high organic content. The species has been reported in marshes with Carex aquatilis var. stans.
Illustrations. • Arctic Island distribution.
Cite this publication as: Aiken, S.G., Boles, R.L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 1999 onwards. ‘Cyperaceae of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification, and Information Retrieval.’ Version: 6th November 2000. http://http://www.mun.ca/biology/delta/arcticf/. Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993, 1995, 2000) should also be cited (see References).
