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This book deals with all the species, subspecies and varieties of the genus Carex L. (cyperaceae) found in the Kashmir Himalaya, the north-western biogeographic zone in India, and an important centre of distribution of carices in SE Asia. This study is based on extensive field survey and collection of carices from the entire Kashmir Himalaya by the first and second author from 2004 to 2010. More than 1000 specimens collected by them, as well as a large number of taxa from several herbaria, were thoroughly studied. In all, forty two species of Carex, found to occur in the study area, are dealt with in this book. The first of its kind in the Kashmir Himalaya, this book primarily aims at providing an authentic documentation of the carices of this region with updated nomenclature and precise distribution. Starting with a concise description of Carex, it subsequently deals with a brief account of the study area, a historical overview of Carex in the world and in India, taxonomy and diversity of inflorescence in the four subgenera, diversity in pistillate glumes and utricles of many of our species, distribution of Carex in the Kashmir Himalaya, followed by a taxonomic treatment of cyperaceae, its subfamilies and the genus Carex. Lucid dichotomous keys to determine the subgenera, sections and the species of Carex included here are also given. Of each species is presented its updated nomenclature (accepted name with correct citation), full synonymy, habit, lucid description of diagnostic features, chromosome number (wherever known), typification, world and local distribution, ecology, altitude, flowering and fruiting period in the Kashmir Himalaya and specimens examined. Drawing of each species and its distribution map are a special feature of the book. References cited in the main text are given in the end, followed finally by an index.

Contents: 1. Introduction. 2. Taxonomic treatment classifications, descriptions, illustrations and distributional maps. References. Index.