Carex muricata

Perennial, narrow-leaved, cespitose herb with short stolons.

15–60 cm high.

The stem is robust, 1.5 mm thick and scabrous in the upper end. The basal leaf sheaths are brown to blackish in color.

The leaves are 2–4 mm wide, shorter than the stem and ppure green. The arc of the ligule is obtuse, about as long as its width.

The inflorescence is 2–3.5 cm long and about 1 cm wide and consists of 4–7 spikes. Particularly the lowest spikes are separate from each other and spreading. The spikes are spherical to ovoid in shape. The apex of the spike consists of staminate flowers and the base of the spike consists of pistillate flowers. The pistillate spikes are 2.5–3.5 mm long, light or often reddish brown, and shorter than the perigynium.

The perigynia are 3–4.5 mm long, at most twice as long as their width, lustrous, yellowish brown to black-brown, rounded at the base, alate, narrowing into a short beak, and spreading into different directions. There is no spongy tissue in the base of the perigynium.

The seed is an achene which matures inside the perigynium.