Are there many sedges in Illinois that look pretty similar to C. muskingumensis vegetatively? Found growing rhizomotously in a wetland area that used to be wooded, but was cleared and ditched at some time in the past. I wasn't able to find any reproductive parts. Try again next year? ETA: Or, man, is it even a Carex? I just thought muskingumensis right away so perhaps it's something else entirely?
It looks quite a bit like a Carex to me (stem seems to be triangular, with leaves emerging in only three directions), but yes, vegetative characteristics only make this difficult. 1) have a look at Visual Carices of North America to get an idea of what key characteristics are needed for identification 2) get your hands on something like Field Guide to Wisconsin Sedges -- I can only see some of the pages of course through Google Books, but it looks like the plants are organized into sections, so similar looking sedges will be grouped together Sorry I can't be of more help.
Hipp's WI sedge book mentions C. muskingumensis lookalikes are C. projecta and C. tribuloides. Projecta and tribuloides leaf sheaths are "loose" and "more expanded near the summit" than muskingumensis. The latter two are distinguished by their reproductive parts which I don't have. However, Hipp says that all three have perigynia that often persist til fall so maybe I just need to go out and look a little harder. :)
