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		Copper-scale Sedge - Carex chalciolepis
		
			
				Other Names:  
				
				Carex heteroneura var. chalciolepis, Carex atrata var. chalciolepis
			
		
		
		
		
Native Species
			Global Rank: 
G4G5
			State Rank: 
SU
			(see State Rank Reason below)
				C-value: 
7
			
			
			
			Agency Status
			USFWS: 
			USFS: 
			BLM: 
		
			
			
				
			
			
				External Links
				
			
		 
	 
	
			
            State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
            Based on the discrepancy in the number of herbarium specimens identified as Carex chalciolepis (CPNWH 2015) and in its Montana County distribution (Lesica 2012), there seems to be an issue in how to accurately identify this species.  Specimens deposited in herbaria outside of Montana will need to be examined before its status in Montana can be determined.
			
	 
	
	 
		General Description
		Caespitose. Stems erect, 20–50 cm. Leaves basal and lower-cauline; blades 1–4 mm wide. Inflorescence of 2 to 6 short-pedunculate, erect spikes forming a loose cluster; lowest spike sometimes arching. Spikes 10–25 mm long, all similar; male flowers basal on uppermost spike otherwise all female.  Perigynia erect, purplish to green, elliptic, 4–4.5 mm long, scabrous on the upper margin, filled by the achene; beaks 0.3–0.5 mm long; stigmas 3. Female scales narrowly lanceolate, blackish with thin, hyaline margins, as long or longer but much narrower than the perigynia. Achene 3-sided, much smaller than the perigynium (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
 
		
	
	
	Species Range
	
		
			Montana Range
		Range Descriptions
			
			
			
					
						
						Native
					 
				
				
					
			 
			
		 
		
	 
	
    		Range Comments
			MT, NV, UT, CO, AZ and NM. Known from Carbon and Ravalli counties (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
			
		
		Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
		Number of Observations: 17
		
		
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
		Map Help and Descriptions
		
		
			
				Relative Density
				
			 
		
			
				Recency
				
			 
		
		 
		
			
				
			
				
			
					
				
			(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
		 
		
			
		
		
	
		Habitat
		
		
		
	
		Stewardship Responsibility
		
		
	
	References
	
		
			- Literature Cited AboveLegend:  
 View Online Publication
Hitchcock, C. L., A. Cronquist, M. Ownbey, and J. W. Thompson. 1969. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. Part I: Vascular Cryptogams, Gymnosperms and Monocotyledons. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. 914 pp.
Hurd, E.G., N.L. Shaw, J. Mastrogiuseppe, L.C. Smithman, and S. Goodrich. 1998. Field Guide to Intermountain Sedges. General Technical Report RMS-GTR-10. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 282 pp.
Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
 
			- Additional ReferencesLegend:  
 View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?
Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
 
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