| Carex adelostoma V.I. Krecz. | |
| Publ. & Syn. | Carex morrisseyi A.E. Porsild, Sargentia 4: 21 (1943). Holotype (CAN)?: Canada: Labrador, Cutthroath Harbour, south of Cape Mugford, 5730'N, 62W, 26. Aug. 1937, leg. A.E. Porsild 173. |
| Notes | The report of Carex adelostoma from Svjatoj Nos on the Murman coast (northwestern European Russia) is uncertain, see C. buxbaumii. Elven and Murray: Carex adelostoma has often been assigned to C. buxbaumii as a subspecies in Nordic literature (e.g., Hylander 1966; Elven 1994) but species rank can be defended. The Nordic opinion has been that transitions are too frequent and too fertile for acceptance of two species, especially because the two plants behave as eco-geographical vicariants. Carex buxbaumii is nemoral to northern boreal, on peat in deep fens; C. adelostoma is middle boreal to alpine and arctic, in shallow fens and on river and lake margins. For a subspecies, the name C. buxbaumii subsp. mutica has priority because C. polygama Schkuhr subsp. mutica (Hartm.) Cajander 1934 predates C. polygama subsp. alpina (Hartm.) Cajander 1935. Investigation of a large sample of Nordic plants (BG, O, TRH, TROM) in 2009 revealed only few obvious intermediates and these with aborting anthers and heavily infested by smut. Carex adelostoma and C. buxbaumii seem to be reproductively isolated. In view of this, and of the distinct variation pattern outside Fennoscandia, we accept C. adelostoma and C. buxbaumii as two species. Egorova commented that the North American C. morrisseyi could be the same as the Eurasian C. adelostoma. The scant material of C. morrisseyi that we have inspected, including an isotype from Labrador (S), supports that proposal. Murray (2002a) synonymized C. morrisseyi with C. adelostoma. |
| Chromosomes | 106. - Europe (N), Canada. - Several reports. |
| Geography | Circumboreal-polar?: ICE NOR RUS? CAN. |
| Distribution | N = F Ic = r E = R CC = r HL = r FN = s [ key ] |
| Parent taxon | Carex L. |
| PAF ID | 3309057 |