FLORA OF ICELAND elements: Carex rariflora, Mountain Bog-sedge, Hengistör

Carex rariflora; The Mountain Bog-sedge is a rather small sedge up to 20cm tall. Leafy shoots emerge from root stocks, they don't form tussocks.
  - The leaves are relatively short maximally 3mm wide.
  - The inflorescence consists of a terminal male spike and two to three female spikes below. These female spikes are on rather long drooping stalks and are rather few-flowered (5-8 female flowers). Quite characteristic are the very dark/black bracts with a light midrib under the utricles. The light-green utricles are beakless
  - It grows in marsh terrains both in lowlands but much more though at higher altitudes. It is a common species on Iceland, especially in highland regions.
  - The Mountain Bog-sedge (C. rariflora) is a member of the sedge family (Cyperaceae). The Icelandic name of this species is Hengistör.

There are some other sedge species which resemble the Mountain Bog-sedge; also low to mid-sized sedges with drooping female spikes. For differences and how to tell them apart see the page of Carex limosa.