Media: Answers to key questions in Sedges (Carex) of Saskatchewan, Fascicle 3, Flora of Saskatchewan by Anna Leighton leading to this species. The answers are in the order you would normally work through the key. 

	Stigmas 3; achenes three-sided, occasionally terete, though their shape may be concealed by flattened perigynia.  NOT [stigmas 2; achenes lenticular]
	Spikes 2 or more per culm, terminal and lateral; spike bracts present on lateral spikes (except in Section Phyllostachyae), lowest bract usually evident, often conspicuous.  NOT [Spikes 1 per culm, terminal; spike bracts absent].
	Lower pistillate scales not bract-like or leaf-like but similar in size and shape to individual perigynia (up to twice as long as perigynia in C. magellanica ssp. irrigua).  NOT [Lower pistillate scales resembling green, leaf-like bracts much longer and wider than individual perigynia]
	Perigynia glabrous. NOT [Perigynia sparsely to densely pubescent or puberulent (in C. pedunculata pubescence represented by very short hairs scattered near tip; in some species of Sect. Acrocystis, perigynia may be glabrous or virtually hairless, but all members of this group have convexly 3-sided to terete achenes with tight fitting perigynia and a stipe-like base about equal to beak in length)]
	Beak absent or less than 0.5 mm long; if more than 0.5 mm long, then terminating in an orifice without teeth. NOT [Beak over 0.5 mm long and usually visibly bidentate (teeth hyaline in C. sprengelii, inconspicuous in C. viridula, very short in C. oligosperma).]
	Leaves and sheaths glabrous; plants cespitose or rhizomatous. NOT [Leaves and sheaths pubescent; plants cespitose]
	Lowest spike bracts sheathless or with sheaths 1-2 mm long (to 3 or 4 mm long in Section Limosae).  NOT [Lowest spike bract sheath at least (2.5) 3 mm long]
	Plants cespitose or rhizomatous, usually taller than 2 dm (to 8 dm); terminal spike if staminate then wider than 2 mm or longer than 1 cm, or pistillate spikes long-stalked; leaves 1-6 mm wide; plants of boreal forest and grassland habitats. NOT [Plants densely tufted and low, usually less than 2 dm tall; terminal spike staminate (occasionally with a few pistillate flowers at base in C. glacialis), 1-2 mm wide and seldom over 1 cm long; pistillate spikes sessile or slightly stalked; leaves 0.4-1.5 mm wide; plants of rocky and/or sandy habitats in far north.]
	Lateral spikes sessile or erect on short stalks.  NOT [Lateral spikes on filiform stalks 0.5 cm long or longer, often nodding.]
	Terminal spike gynecandrous (various in C. parryana ); if not gynecandrous, then scales on pistillate spikes completely covering perigynia throughout spike.  NOT [Terminal spike staminate; at least some pistillate scales shorter and/or narrower than perigynia]
	Terminal spike gynecandrous; perigynia 2.2-4 mm long; pistillate scales not completely covering perigynia; culms a few together or densely cespitose; widespread boreal species.  NOT [Terminal spike gynecandrous, staminate, pistillate or staminate with scattered pistillate flowers; perigynia to 2 (2.5) mm long, shiny; pistillate scales about same size as perigynia and covering them; culms single or a few together from distinct rhizomes; plants of marly seeps in southern half of province.]
	Spikes densely overlapping at tip of culm; pistillate scales awnless, one-half to three-quarters as long as perigynia; perigynia 2.2-2.5 (3) mm long, green, smooth or papillose.  NOT [Spikes loosely overlapping (lower often separate); pistillate scales with awns 0.5-3 mm long, the awn tips or scale tips reaching top of perigynia, or beyond; perigynia 2.6-4 mm long, pale, dull and densely papillose.]