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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Douglas' Sedge
Carex douglasii Boott

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Sedge (Cyperaceae)
Flowering: May-August
Field Marks: The crowded spikes are up to 3/4 inch long and are either male or female, with the two sexes usually on separate plants. The perigynia are up to 1/5 inch long, with a prominent beak.
Habitat: Wet or dry prairies, ditches, tolerating alkaline conditions.
Habit: Perennial herb with long, slender rhizomes.
Stems: Upright, unbranched, up to 18 inches tall, without hairs.
Leaves: Male and female flowers borne in spikes, usually on different plants or, if on the same plant, the male flowers at the top of the spike and the female flowers at the bottom spikes severely crowded into a head up to 2 inches long, each sp
Sepals: O.
Petals: O.
Stamens: 3.
Pistils: Enclosed in a perigynium, each perigynium ellipsoid to ellipsoid-ovoid, up to 1/5 inch long, tapering to a prominent and minutely toothed beak at the tip, straw-colored to brown; stigmas 2.
Fruits: Achenes lenticular, up to 1/10 inch long, smooth.
Notes: The achenes are eaten by birds. This species is a forage plant for livestock.

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Next Species -- Kellogg's Sedge (Carex kelloggii)

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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:24:26 EST
Menlo Park, CA [caww55]