1	"Stems staminate or mostly so"	2
1	"Stems pistillate or mostly so"	9
2	"Plant cespitose to loosely so (<i>Carex alma</i> cespitose to rhizomed); spikelets >= 1 per lower node or branch; leaf sheath front red-dotted or not"	3
2	"Plant rhizomed; spikelets generally 1 per node or branch; leaf sheath front generally not red-dotted"	5
3	"Leaf sheath front not red-dotted; anther tips acute, awn 0"	"Carex infirminervia"
3	"Leaf sheath front red-dotted; anther tips with bristle-like awn <= 0.3 mm"	4
4	"Leaf sheath front not cross-wrinkled, colorless at mouth, rim not thick or dark, generally with contraligule"	"Carex alma"
4	"Leaf sheath front occasionally cross-wrinkled, copper or +- purple at mouth, rim often thick or dark, without contraligule"	"Carex cusickii"
5	"Stem angles smooth near tip; rhizomes 0.6--1.9 mm thick"	6
5	"Stem angles +- scabrous near tip; rhizomes 1.5--5 mm thick"	7
6	"Anther awns 0.2--1 mm, bristly at 30&times;; leaf blades 1--3.5 mm wide; inflorescence 12--45 mm"	"Carex douglasii"
6	"Anther awns < 0.1 mm, smooth to warty at 30&times;; leaf blades < 1.5 mm wide; inflorescence <= 20 mm"	"Carex duriuscula"
7	"Longest anther awns 0.2--0.4 mm, filaments generally included; stem generally < 40 cm; coastal, islands"	"Carex pansa"
7	"Longest anther awns 0.1--0.2 mm, filaments exserted; stem 20--75 cm; coastal or inland"	8
8	"Anther awns generally hairy at 20&times;; leaf sheath mouth occasionally with dark or +- thick rim; leaf blades 1.5--3 mm wide"	"Carex praegracilis"
8	"Anther awns glabrous (warty) at 20&times;; leaf sheath mouth with or without dark stripe, generally without thick rim; leaf blades 2--5 mm wide"	"Carex simulata"
9	"Plant cespitose (<i>Carex alma</i> cespitose to rhizomed)"	10
9	"Plant rhizomed"	12
10	"Leaf sheath front copper or +- purple at mouth, often with thick or dark rim, mouth generally concave or truncate"	"Carex cusickii"
10	"Leaf sheath front colorless at mouth, without thick or dark rim, mouth concave to convex"	11
11	"Leaf sheath front red-dotted; peri ovate to triangular-ovate; inflorescence a dense panicle of spikelets, spikelets generally several per lower node, or lower node long-branched with 3+ spikelets"	"Carex alma"
11	"Leaf sheath front not red-dotted; peri narrow-lanceolate; inflorescence a raceme of spikelets, spikelets 1 per node"	"Carex infirminervia"
12	"Upper stem smooth on angles; rhizomes 0.6--1.8 mm thick; shoots often 2--several in small clusters, 0 at many nodes"	13
12	"Upper stem +- scabrous on angles; rhizomes 1.5--5 mm thick; shoots generally 1 every few nodes"	14
13	"Pistillate flower bracts 4.3--7.5 mm, pale brown to +- white; peri beak 0.9--1.9 mm; spikelets generally unisexual; anthers 2.5--3.9 mm, tip 0.2--1 mm, bristly at 30&times;"	"Carex douglasii"
13	"Pistillate flower bracts 2.4--4.1 mm, red-brown; peri beak 0.3--0.9 mm; spikelets occasionally with staminate flowers above pistillate (as in Group 9); anthers 1.4--3 mm, awn < 0.1 mm, smooth to warty at 30&times;"	"Carex duriuscula"
14	"Peri beak 0.25--0.5 mm; contraligule 0.3--1.6 mm; anthers occasionally present, tip smooth to warty at 30&times;"	"Carex simulata"
14	"Peri beak 0.5--1.5 mm; contraligule 0; anthers occasionally present, tip bristly-hairy at 30&times;"	15
15	"Pistillate flower bracts, base of spikelet bracts dark brown or purple-brown, generally shiny, darker than peri; pistillate inflorescence not elongate, ovate to elliptic; coastal, islands"	"Carex pansa"
15	"Pistillate flower bracts, base of spikelet bracts pale brown to pale red-brown, +- dull, lighter than peri; pistillate inflorescence elongate, generally oblong-elliptic; generally inland"	"Carex praegracilis"