2010 Volume 60 Issue 3 Pages 151-158
The name Carex sikokiana Franch. & Sav. has long been applied to a taxon known in Japan as 'Beni-ito-suge', a species with reddish leaf sheaths and closely related to C. alterniflora Franch. Examination of the type specimen, however, revealed that C. sikokiana has been misapplied and is synonymous with C. multifolia Ohwi var. stolonifera Ohwi (Japanese name 'Tsuru-miyama-kan-suge'). We also concluded that C. multifolia var. stolonifera should be treated at specific rank, distinct from C. multifolia. The correct name for it should therefore be C. sikokiana. Since 'Beni-ito-suge' has no available scientific name, a new varietal name C. alterniflora var. rubrovaginata J. Oda & Nagam. is proposed. Lectotypes of C. alterniflora var. fulva Ohwi and C. pseudostrigosa H. Lev. & Vaniot are selected.
