Survey of the vascular plants of Alert (Ellesmere Island, Canada), a polar desert at the northern tip of the Americas Author Desjardins, Émilie Author Lai, Sandra Author Payette, Serge Author Dubé, Martin Author Sokoloff, Paul C. Author St-Louis, Annie Author Poulin, Marie-Pier Author Legros, Jade Author Sirois, Luc Author Vézina, François Author Tam, Andrew Author Berteaux, Dominique text Check List 2021 2021-02-09 17 1 181 225 http://dx.doi.org/10.15560/17.1.181 journal article 10.15560/17.1.181 1809-127X Carex aquatilis Wahlenberg var. minor Boott Syn.: Carex aquatilis subsp. stans (Drejer) Hultén Materials examined. CANADA – Nunavut • Ellesmere Island , CFS Alert ; 82°28′57″N , 062°38′31″W ; 22 m a.s.l. ; 5 Aug. 2019 ; habitat: wetland on the margins of a river delta, with peat as substrates, dominated by Eriophorum triste and moss; QFA0635568 • same locality; 82°30′08″N , 062°52′60″W ; 91 m a.s.l. ; 2 Aug. 2019 ; habi- tat: wetland in a mountain pass on the margins of a pond, with tussocks made of peat, dominated by Eriophorum triste ; QFA0635569 . Identification. Plants 5–9 cm high; herbaceous; not caespitose. Fibrous roots and rhizomes present. Stems 2.5–11.0 cm long; erect, ascending, or decumbent; scabrous on angles. Leaves basal and cauline; alternate. Sheath margins glabrous. Ligules 0.6–2.0 mm long. Basal leaf blades 35–75 mm long, 1.8–4.0 mm wide; linear; flat or folded; abaxial and adaxial surfaces both gla- brous; margins scabrous. Inflorescence a raceme, with 2–6 spikelets; 19–40 mm long. Bracts exceeding the inflorescence; 28–50 mm long. Lateral spikelets unisexual; pistillate; pedunculate; erect. Terminal spikelets unisexual; staminate; erect; pedunculate. Pistillate scales 1.1– 2.8 mm long, 0.6–1.5 mm wide; ovate; purple or purplish brown, with midvein paler in color or pale green; apices acute. Staminate scales 2.0– 2.8 mm long, 0.5–1.0 mm wide; oblanceolate; purple, with midvein paler in color; apices acuminate. Perigynium 1.1–2.5 mm long, 0.6– 1.8 mm wide; ovate or obovate; flattened; green or pale brown proximally and purplish-brown apically; surface glabrous; margins glabrous; apices beaked. Androecium with 3 stamens and 1.8–2.8 mm long anthers. Gynoecium with 1 style and 2 stigmas. Carex aquatilis var. minor differs from all other Carex Linnaeus species on Ellesmere Island by having the lower bract exceeding the inflorescence ( Aiken et al. 2007 ).