Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1952-08-01 A preliminary study of the Genus Carex in Utah County, Utah William R. Liechty Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Liechty, William R., "A preliminary study of the Genus Carex in Utah County, Utah" (1952). Theses and Dissertations. 8083. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/8083 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. IN p ilRI'IAL l!'ULFILL"'JTifflor THE DEGRE!:OF MAST.ER OF ARTS BY W. R. Limll'l'Y PROVO,UT.AH JllJGU&r1952 This thesis by W. R. Leehy is aceped in its :resent for by th Tesis Coittee as satisfying th thesis ruir• mens tor the degre of Master of As, Ast. 1952. A.CKNO~-JLEDGEMENTS The writer in gratitude a.oknol\fledges the help of Dr. B. F. Harrison, tor suggesting this problem and the work he has contributed to its completion. To Dr. F. J. Hermann of the u. s. national Herba:rium for his prompt identification of' the plants collected by the writer. To Y.i.r. Monte Lewis of the Forest Service for help in fomiDg son1e of the data used in this wol!k. To Mr. Conrad Head for help and encouragement toimrd this accomplishment. To Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Sanderson who did the illustra- tions. To a.11 others who have aided to a e;reater or lesser degree in the completion of' the writing in its present fom. ii :Page • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • iv Obapter I. nrraoOOCT.lON .i~l!J OF PROBW/t • • • • • • • • • • • • l PROO.EOOlUt:, • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 6 !:rI • D/.3!A • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • , • • • • • • • • 8 Key ot tho Carices o:f 'Utah County IV• DI~£USS?Oi."1• • • • • • • , • • • • • • • • • • • • • , • • • 101 v. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 106 • • • • • • • • • • • • •••• • • • • •• • •• 107 1:U. LIST OF FIGURES Page Fig. l. Illustration of C9t£8iei&e~Fi1 • • • •• •. • • • • • • • • 16 Fig. 2. Distribution map of C12zi£SP;;&erii • • • • • • • • • •• • • l'l Fig. 3. Illustration ot C~ ve;:pagyJ.a, •••• • •• • • • • • • • 19 Fig. 4. Distribution map ot Oirs verycula... • • • • • • • • • 20 Fig. 5. Illustration of Ca.ree sioca;\A ••••••••••• , • • • 21 Fig. 6. Distribution map of O§F!e s~ogata • • • • • • •. • • • • • 22 Fig. 7 • Illustration of C§ES R!:l\f!'it~ffic:J,lis• • • • • • • • • • • • 24 Fig. e. Distribution mapot c,rs Pll!rWllncilis. • • • • • • • • • 25 Fig, 9. Illustration of C~ dsrna,asi1 • • •••••• • • • •• • 28 Fig. 10. Distribution :mapot C1E5 doppjlo.s11 • • • • • • • • • • • • 29 Fig. ll. Illustration of Cli£S e;t;eocma,:t,s• • • • • • • • • • • • • 30 Fig. 12. Distribution map of Cai£!X e;\!QCha£iS • • • • • • • • • • • 31 Fig. 13, Illustration of c,rexva1i1oola...... • • • • • • • • 32 Fig. 14. Distribution map of C~ng; mJJ.icola •••••••• • • • • 33 Fig. 15. Illustration of 01rei hoodii.. • • • • • • • • • • • • • 35 Fig. 16. Distribution map of Osrex hoodii.. • • • • • • • • • • • 36 Fig. 17. Illustration of C§.fg oc,o,!dent.alis •••••••• • • • • 38 Fig. 18. Distribution map of Oa:;e1 oceidentalis...... • • • • 39 Fig. 19. Illustration of CfH:eJ Ath£Rstael;!la.. • • • • • • • • • • 40 Fig. 20. Distribution map of Cwr:eas.a,throst!!CPl!i • • • • • • • • • • 4l Fig. 21. Illustration of C01 strwnotoe783,s. •. • • • • • • •. 43 Fig. 22. Distribution ma:p of 0§1:tS strE!Pgf2!11'QS • • • • • • • • • 44 Fig. 23. Illustration ot oa:;:e6 phaeoeeJWIJA... • • • • • • • • • 45 Fig. 24. Distribution map of Car5 meocepbp.ln • • • • • • • • • • 46 Fig. 25. Illustration of Oare1 ,meb,Y;staopm... • • • • • • • • • 48 Fig. 26. Distribution map of C&rei EAChYataehYa•••• • • • • • • 49 Fig. 27. Illustration of Cg,rex pubtcol1 • • .• • • • • • • • • • • • 50 Fig. 28. Distribution map of OaNJ nub1co]a.. • • • • • • • • • • 51 Fig. 29. Illustration of C;:rex testiyell§.... • • • • • • • • • 53 Fig. 30. Distribution map of p,mx festJvell& • • • • • • • • • • • 54 Fig• 31. Illustration of .Qa,r..s,yp.croJ2tet1 • • • • • • • • • • • • • 56 Fig. 32. Distribution map of' Oare0 miOl)U!tea • • • • • • • • • • • 57 Fig. 33. Illustration of Ca:rex bass11.... • • • • • • • • • • • 59 Fig. 34. Distribution map of Cgex lMS1~ • • • • • • • • • • • • • 60 Fig. 55. Illustration of Ca:ree aur!§; • • • • • • • • • • • •. • • • 61 Fig. 36. Distribution map ot ON::!,Xaur9 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 62 Fig. 37. Illustration of Cy:e; jellop&,i ••••• •... • • • • • 64 Fig. 38. Distribution map of Ca,rgkelloggii.. • • • • • • • • • • 65 Fig. 39. Illustration of Op.rg neb[&Skeµsis.... • • • • • • • • 67 Fig. 40. Distribution map ot C9J:!Xnebmskensis • • • • • • • • • • 68 Fig. 41. Illustration of 0Jilll8t a:pel'ta... • • • • • • • • • • • • 71 Fig. 42. Distribution map of om.e; maeiQa.. • • • • • • • • • • • 72 Fig. 43. Illustration of Cp,;r;&aquati~is •. • • • •. • • • • • • • 73 Fig. 44. Distribution map ot Ca;:exISUM!ztilis. • • • • • • • • • • • 74 Fig. 45. Illustration ot cmc rosm!l • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 75 Fig. 46. Distribution map of ggex rossil • • • • • • • • • • • • • 76 iv Page Fig. 47. Illustration of C~ lYY.GiJNS§... • • • • • • • • • • 79 Fig. 48. Distribution map ot Oarex lanBfaiA9sa.. • • • • • • • • • 80 Fig. 49. Illustration of OA£s vaM1+. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 81 Fig. 50. Distribution map ot CHS vQ,Iy.*!• • • • • •. • • • • • • 82 Fig. 51. Illustration of caw nel@oPA:i.• • • • • • • • • • • • • 83 Fig. 52. Distribution nap o:r £~iR2i:lSne;r.son11 • • • • • • • • • • • • 84 Fig. 53. Illustra:tion of .0.§.15 a'Dap1U,o,sa,• • • • • • • • • • • • • 86 Fig. 54. Distribution map of Cm;. es;oi+J.oae_• • • • • • • • • • • 87 Fig. 55. Illustrution of Cll5 rn. 88 Fig. 66. Distribution me.:pof CA+'5 ..!3QD, ••••••••••••• • 89 Fig. 57. Illustration ot Carg OQMC!S?JceR&s• • • • • • • • • • • • 91 Fig. oo. Distribution Illa.Pot Oa,a p):mloiolepis ••••••• • • 92 Fig. 59. Illustration of Cil:".&1tra~,g_.. • • • • • • • • • • • • • 93 Fig• 60. Distribution map ot 0&,tB A!imt1 • • • • • • • • • • • • • 94 Fig. 61. Illustration of C3'EeJ,§~es, • • • • • • • • • • • , • 96 Fig. 62. Distribution map of c~ a,therodes. • • • • • • • • • • 97 Figs 63. Illustration of Clt!2li ~~i£lY&. • •. • ••••• • • • • 99 Fig,. 64. Distribution map of c~ ~str,gta. ••••• •.. • • • • 100 V CHAl?TERI INTRO:OOCTIOMAND STAffl.ifENT OF PROBLm The genus Qa;nq,is perhaps the largest genus of plruits represented in the Great Basin ..Area. ll.1ackenzie (8} lists 533 species and varieties of Carexin North ,\merica, and states that there are over 1 1 000 species in all the countries of the ;forld. Since the time ot Maekenzie's work there have certainly been brought to light sane additional species and varieties. This genus of :plants, co:mmonly called sedges, is characterized by having an achene type of fruit, borne in e. sac-like structure called a perigynium, triangular stems, three-ranked leaves, and fibrous roots. Some species have underground stems, or rhizomes, called root-stocks. The roots and underground stem.a tom dense mats, or turf's, which are capable of holding the soil well and anchoring the plants to the soil most tenaciously. In sane localities the early ;unerican Indian took advantage or this matted growth by cutting bricks trom the clay beds which sup:ported dense stands ot Ca,rex. 1u'ter removing the herbage above ground they were sun• dried and used in the building of their adobe pueblos. This type of adobe brick, 'With the roots acting as a binder, held up viell as compared to those 'Without a natural binder. The writer has seen buildings in New Mexico constructed from these adobe bricks, and the beds nom.which these briekS were cut. Usually there remained enough rootstalks in the cut-out sections to generate another stand of care.a;. The importance of these grass-like plants is relatively unknoWA. Perhaps the reason :for this is that the'IJ commonly occur, closely matted l 2 in moist. marshy places. making collecting undesirable, and the identifi• cation of these plants is somewhat difficult since the mature t'ruit must be had for positive detennination. These factors may be in part the reasons (13) this large group of' plants has been somewhat negl.ected. Few ta:x:onondov.orks in tbis areo. have dealt very mu.ch with the Carices. Garrett {4) lists seven species in his 1•S:pring Flora of the Wasatch Region". Holmgren ( 6) lists twenty-six species in the "Handbook of the Vascular Plants of the Northern Wa.ootchn, and Tidestrom (12) lists sixty-seven in bis "Flora of Utah and Nevada". f!erman (5) reported one hundred a:Ild.thirteen species from a single county in eastern Pennsylv:ania. From this it would appear that much t\!Ork l"8lllains to be done 1n the Wasatch area or that the Ca.rices are not especially abundant here. This is a preliminarJ study of the various Carioes in a small area known as Utah Oounty, Utah, located in the central part of the state; con- taining approximately 2.143 square miles. Most of the area is muntainous with the exception of Utah Valley which occupies some 560 square miles. This valley has a.n average elevation of 4.550 feet above sea level and is some thirty-eight miles long and fifteen miles wide. The valley is bordered on the east by the Wasatch ra.11geof mountains which at several Points exceed 11,000 feet