FLORA OF ICELAND elements: Carex flacca, Glaucous Sedge, Grástör

Carex flacca; The Glaucous Sedge is relatively large middle-sized sedge up to 45cm tall. The basal leaves emerge from rootstocks.
  - The leaves are quite bluish (especially on the bottom). The stomata are on the bottom too. They are up to 5mm wide. The bract under the lowest spike is quite long ± as long as the inflorescence. The bracts under the higher spikes are quite small. The sheaths of these bracts have a dark margin at the top. The stem triangular.
  - On top are one or two male flower-bearing spikes. Below are two to four female flower-bearing spikes. Especially the lowest is placed on a long drooping stalk. This spike can be up to 3cm long. The females flowers have three stigmas. The utricles have very short beakes
  - It grows on relatively dry soils: grassy vegetations, heathland and marginal pastures.
  - The Glaucous Sedge (C. flacca) is a member of the sedge family (Cyperaceae). The Icelandic name of this species is Grástör.

The Glaucous Sedge resembles the different Bog-sedges in the drooping lowest spike. It differs though in the much larger size (whole plant and individual spikes) and the bluish colored leaves. It could also be confused with other sedges with bluish-colored leaves and 3-stigma female flowers. Here it differs in the drooping lowest spike and the long spikes.