Carex subfusca is a densely tufted perennial that forms small to medium-sized clumps. The culms, which are the plant’s stems, are acutely trigonous, ranging in height from 15 to 60 cm, and are scabrous on their angles. The leaves are simple and arranged in three ranks with linear, flat blades that are as long or longer than the culms, measuring between 1 to 3 mm in width. The apex of each leaf blade narrows gradually and ends in a long-acuminate tip. The leaf margins are smooth, with parallel veins running through them. The sheaths of the leaves are brown and closely encase the culm, eventually disintegrating into fine, parallel fibers with no stipules present. The flowers form an ovoid to oblong-ovoid, a headlike cluster of 4 to 9 spikes, with a nearly hidden axis. The spikes themselves are yellowish brown, ovoid in shape, and measure 0.5 to 0.6 cm in length and 2 to 3 mm in width. The spikes are gynecandrous (pistillate flowers grouped above the staminate), scarcely echinate, and sit sessile on the plant. The bracts are short, with the lower ones reaching up to 10 mm long, but not sheathing. The pistillate glumes are pale brown, membranous, and narrowly ovate, measuring 3 to 3.2 mm in length and 1.5 to 1.8 mm in width, with an apex that is either acute or acuminate. The perigynium is membranous, pale yellowish-brown or greenish-yellow, spreading at maturity, and shaped from lanceoloid to ovoid-ellipsoid, lenticular, measuring 3 to 4.5 mm in length and 1.5 to 1.7 mm in width. It is weakly several-nerved with narrowly winged and serrulate-scabrous margins. The apex of the perigynium narrows gradually to a long beak, which has a brown dorsal suture that is deeply bifid on the dorsal side and shallowly 2-toothed on the ventral side, and its base is cuneate. The flowers are unisexual with no corolla, and the ovary is superior with two stigmas. The fruit is an ovoid and lenticular achene with a short stipitate. It contains one seed, which has a thin seed coat that is not attached to the pericarp. The embryo is located at the base of the seed, surrounded by a plentiful supply of endosperm. It grows in dry, open meadows and grassy slopes at elevations ranging from 1,190-2,740 meters.
Bean-shaped (Reniform): Resembling the shape of a kidney or bean.
Square or Oblong: Angular shape with all sides more or less equal or longer than wide.
Triangular: Three-sided shape, broadest below the middle.
Elliptic: Rounded at both ends. shaped like an ellipse or oval.
Ovate or Obovate: egg-shaped, broader at one end.
Linear: Extremely long and narrow, with sides usually parallel.
Round: Appears circular, with length and width roughly the same.
Cardioid (Heart-Shaped): One edge has a prominent double curve into two lobes.
Cylindrical: A cylinder with parallel sides and a circular cross-section.
Discoid: Resembling a disc or plate with two relatively flat surfaces.
Fusiform: Spindle-shaped, tapering at both ends.
Globose: Spherical.
Lenticular: Resembling a lens with two convex surfaces.
Ovoid: Egg-shaped.
Plano-convex: Having a flat ventral (planar) surface and a curved dorsal (convex) surface.
Polygonal: Having more than three flat faces meeting at angles.
Sectoroid: Resembling a segment of an orange with two relatively flat faces and one curved face.
Subglobose/ellipsoid: Inflated shape but less than spherical.
Trigonous: Having three faces that meet at a distinct angle; triangular in cross-section.
Endangered species (E) are species that are so rare they’re in danger of becoming extinct.
Threatened species (T) are species that are likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of their range.
Species of Concern (SOC) are species about which there are some concerns regarding status and threats, but insufficient information is available to list the species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Plant Extinction Prevention (PEP) is a state status for rare plants that focuses its efforts on species that have fewer than 50 remaining wild individuals.
Orthodox seeds (desiccation-tolerant): can be dried to an internal seed moisture of less than 12% water and stored at freezing temperatures.
Intermediate seeds (temperature-sensitive) tend to age faster than orthodox seeds and may have only a 5-year lifespan when stored at -20°C. They are recommended for storage at 5°C.
Recalcitrant seeds (desiccation-sensitive): cannot be stored in a conventional freezer as they cannot survive after drying and/or freezing at -20°C. They are recommended for cryopreservation storage.