Bush Sedge (Carex bushii)
- Family: Sedge (Cyperaceae)
- Flowering: April-July.
- Field Marks: The male flowers are located below the short, thickened female spike. This species differs from similar species by its hairy leaves and hairy perigynia.
- Habitat: Wet prairies, wet meadows, along rivers and streams around ponds and lakes, moist woods, as well as several drier habitats.
- Habit: Perennial herb with slender rootstocks.
- Stems: Erect, slender, usually hairy, rough to the touch, up to 2 feet tall.
- Leaves: Elongated, narrow, usually hairy, up to 1/8 inch broad.
- Flowers: Male and female flowers in the same spike, the male flowers below the female flowers; spikes usually 2-3 per stem, oblongoid to oblong-cylindric, up to 3/4 inch long, up to 1/3 inch broad, erect.
- Scales: Lanceolate, pointed or with a short, toothed awn, longer than the perigynia.
- Sepals: 0.
- Petals: 0.
- Stamens: 3.
- Pistils: Enclosed in a perigynium; the perigynium obovoid, up to 1/8 inch long, ribbed, hairy, rounded or pointed at the tip but not beaked.
- Fruits: Achenes obovoid, smooth.
- Notes: The achenes are eaten by waterfowl.
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