Carex melanostachya M. Bieb. ex Willd. (syn.: C. nutans Host) (C and E-Eur., As.) – An exceptional but locally naturalized alien. A large, nearly monospecific stand of ca. 1500 m² was discovered in 2010 in Antwerpen-Linkeroever (Sint-Annabos). Carex melanostachya grows on the verge of a clearing in spontaneous woodland on a former sand raised site (Koopman & al., in prep.). The species seems to reproduce only clonally. Given its actual abundance it must have been introduced quite some time ago. A possible introduction at the end of World War II by military troops has been suggested.
The identification of Carex melanostachya in its unique Belgian locality long remained critical. Plants are characterized by densely pubescent leaf sheaths, a feature that is only encountered in Asian populations of C. melanostachya (Egorova 1999). Therefore, the species fails to key out with Flora Europaea (Chater 1980).
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Carex melanostachya (drawing L. Tytens) |
Selected literature:
Chater A.O. (1980) – Carex L. In: Tutin, T.G. et al. (eds.), Flora Europaea, vol. 5: 290-323. Cambridge.
Duvigneaud J. (1965) – Distribution et écologie de Carex melanostachya Willd. dans la vallée de la Saône (France). Lejeunia N.S. 36: 1-4.
Egorova T.V. (1999) – The Sedges (Carex L.) of Russia and adjacent states (within the limits of the former USSR). Ed. A.L. Takhtajan. St.-Petersburg & St. Louis.
Ferrez Y. & Trivaudey M.-J. (1995) – A propos de Carex melanostachya Willdenow dans le val de Saône. Monde Pl. 454: 15-17.
Koopman J., Jacobs I. & Verloove F. (in prep.) – Carex melanostachya (Cyperaceae), een nieuwe adventief voor België. Dumortiera
Tasinazzo S. (2007) – Notula: 1399. Carex melanostachya Willd. Inform. Bot. Ital. 39(2): 430.
Tasinazzo S. (2009) – La vegetazione dei prati dei “Prà dei Gai” nella Pianura Veneta orientale (NE Italia). Fitosociologia 46(2): 35-47.
Wallnöfer B. (2005) – Über Carex melanostachya, C. norvegica, C. cespitosa und C. hartmanii in Südtirol. Gredleriana 4: 413-418.
Wayda M. (1999) – Carex melanostachya (Cyperaceae), a species new to Poland. Fragm. Flor. Geobot. 44(1): 193-204.