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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Lesser Panicled Sedge
Carex diandra Schrank

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Sedge (Cyperaceae)
Flowering: May-August
Field Marks: This Carex is recognized by its spikelets with male flowers at the tip, its 2 styles, its lenticular achenes, the absence of rhizomes, and its crowded, compact inflorescence.
Habitat: Wet meadows, bogs, swamps, around lakes and ponds.
Habit: Tufted perennial from fibrous roots.
Stems: Upright, triangular, up to 3 feet tall, without hairs.
Leaves: Alternate, elongated, flat, up to 1/6 inch wide, usually as long as or slightly longer than the stem, without hairs; sheaths red-dotted.
Flowers: Borne in spikelets with the male flowers at the tip of each spikelet; spikelets several, crowded into a compact inflorescence up to 2 inches long.
Scales: Lanceolate, pale brown, pointed at the tip but rarely owned.
Sepals: 0.
Petals: 0.
Stamens: 3.
Pistils: Enclosed in a perigynium; each perigynium ovoid to lance-ovoid, up to 1/8 inch long, dark brown, tapering to or contracted to a short beak; beak minutely toothed; styles 2.
Fruits: Achenes lenticular, about 1/20 inch long.
Notes: The achenes are eaten by waterfowl.

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URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florawe/species/3/caredian.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:24:25 EST
Menlo Park, CA [caww54]