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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Russet Sedge
Carex saxatilis L.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Sedge (Cyperaceae)
Flowering: May-August
Field Marks: The distinguishing features of this sedge are the male and female flowers borne in separate spikes, the dark colored scales, and the ellipsoid perigynium abruptly contracted into a very short beak.
Habitat: Edge of ponds, along streams, wet meadows, fens.
Habit: Perennial herb with extensively creeping rhizomes.
Stems: Upright, slender, triangular, up to 2 feet tall, not hairy.
Leaves: Alternate, elongated, narrow, usually not surpassing the stem (except for the lowermost bract), up to 1/6 inch wide, not hairy, usually septate, particularly on the sheaths.
Flowers: Male and female borne in separate spikes; male spikes 1-2, terminal, up to 1 1/2 inches long, up to 1/4 inch thick, dark in color; female spikes 1-2, up to 1 1/2 inches long, up to 1/2 inch thick, the lowest on a stalk and sometimes nod
Scales: Lanceolate to elliptic, shorter and narrower than the perigynia, usually dark-colored, rarely straw-colored.
Sepals: O.
Petals: O.
Stamens: 3.
Pistils: Enclosed in a perigynium; perigynia crowded, ascending, usually dark-colored, rarely straw-colored, ellipsoid, up to 1/4 inch long, abruptly contracted into a very short beak, smooth; stigmas 2.
Fruits: Achenes lenticular, about 1/10 inch long, smooth.
Notes: The achenes are sometimes eaten by waterfowl.

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Next Species -- Holm's Rocky Mountain Sedge (Carex scopulorum )

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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:24:37 EST
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