Michael Murphy is a botanist at the Illinois Natural History Survey. Greg Spyreas is a plant ecology and botany research scientist at the Illinois Natural History Survey and an adjunct assistant professor of natural resources and environmental sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Paul Marcum is an associate botanist and an associate botany project leader for the wetland science program at the Illinois Natural History Survey.

“I am deeply impressed. This work will be of interest to botanists at many levels, from those who have just learned to distinguish the major groups of sedges to those who, like myself, have been working on sedges for decades but still appreciate the insights of careful observers. I’m eager to see this book in print, and I know many others will be, as well.”--Andrew L. Hipp, Director of the Herbarium, The Morton Arboretum

• Preface            Acknowledgments      Introduction    An Introduction to Sedges            Distinguishing the Carex Sedges  A Brief History of Oval Sedges    Distinguishing Oval Sedges from other Carex Sections  Notes on Identification and Using This Book      Measurement Tools    Measurement Variation          Depauperate Specimens         Seasonal Variation Specimen Maturity     Dried & Fresh Specimens      Habit & Growth Form Leaves & Sheaths       Spike   Perigynia & Pistillate Scales  Perigynium Venation  Quick ID Groups        Guide to Species Pages           SPECIES ACCOUNTS:         Carex alata Torrey           Carex albolutescens Schweinitz   Carex bebbii (L.H. Bailey) Olney ex Fernald      Carex bicknellii Britton    Carex brevior (Dewey) Mackenzie ex Lunell      Carex crawfordii Fernald Carex cristatella Britton   Carex cumulata (L.H. Bailey) Mackenzie           Carex echinodes (Fernald) P.E.  Rothrock, Reznicek, & Hipp    Carex festucacea Schkuhr ex Willdenow Carex longii Mackenzie   Carex missouriensis P.E. Rothrock & Reznicek  Carex molesta Mackenzie ex Bright        Carex molestiformis Reznicek & P.E. Rothrock  Carex muskingumensis Schweinitz          Carex normalis Mackenzie          Carex opaca (F.J. Hermann) P.E. Rothrock & Reznicek Carex praticola Rydberg  Carex projecta Mackenzie           Carex reniformis (L.H. Bailey) Small      Carex scoparia Schkuhr ex Willdenow   Carex straminea Willdenow ex Schkuhr Carex suberecta (Olney) Britton  Carex tenera Dewey         Carex tribuloides Wahlenberg var. sangamonensis Clokey        Carex tribuloides Wahlenberg var. tribuloides    Additional Photographs          Glossary          References      Index   About the Authors      State of Illinois Counties        Metric Ruler   Blank Pages for Field Notes   Specimens Photographed