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Carex amphibola — eastern narrow-leaved sedge

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Facts

Eastern narrow-leaved sedge has been used for horticultural purposes, as it forms dense tussocks and has attractive shiny green blades. This species is found in Massachusetts and Connecticut, where it occurs in rich upland and riparian forests.

Habitat

Floodplain (river or stream floodplains), forests

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
  • terrestrial
  • wetlands
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Massachusetts
Leaf blade width
3.7–7 mm
Lowest bract sheath
the lowest bract has a sheath longer than four millimeters
Spike on stalk
the lowest spike on the plant has a peduncle
Top spike
the uppermost spike contains only staminate flowers
Perigynium hairs
the perigynium has no hairs
Perigynium length
4.2–5.2 mm
Leaf sheath color
the leaf sheath is tinted pink, red or purple
Leaf blade texture
the leaf blade is smooth and hairless, or rough and sandpapery
Perigynium beak teeth
the perigynium beak is not divided at the tip into two teeth, or the teeth are very tiny
Show all characteristics
  • Flowers

    Anther length
    2–2.8 mm
    Bumps on fruit
    there are no papillae on the perigynium surface
    Length of scale
    the scale is shorter than the perigynium
    Lowest spike length
    5–26 mm
    Lowest spike width
    4.6–9.8 mm
    Perigynium beak
    • the perigynium has a beak
    • the perigynium has no beak, or an extremely short beak
    Perigynium beak length
    0–0.2 mm
    Perigynium beak orientation
    • NA
    • the beak of the perigynium is straight, and in line with the perigynium
    Perigynium beak serrations
    the perigynium beak has no serrations
    Perigynium beak teeth
    the perigynium beak is not divided at the tip into two teeth, or the teeth are very tiny
    Perigynium beak teeth length
    0 mm
    Perigynium color
    • brown
    • yellow
    Perigynium cross-section
    the perigynium is trigonous (triangular) in cross-section
    Perigynium hairs
    the perigynium has no hairs
    Perigynium length
    4.2–5.2 mm
    Perigynium nerve number
    52–64
    Perigynium nerve texture
    the nerves on the perigynium are flat or concave after drying
    Perigynium nerves lower side
    26–32
    Perigynium nerves upper side
    26–32
    Perigynium orientation
    the perigynia are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis or adjacent perigynia
    Perigynium puffy
    the perigynium is inflated (there is space between the perigynium and the achene)
    Perigynium shape
    • the perigynium body is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
    • the perigynium body is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
    • the perigynium body is ovate (egg-shaped)
    Perigynium width
    1.5–2.2 mm
    Perigynium winged
    the perigynium has no wings
    Pollen- and seed-producing spikes
    some of the spikes produce perigynia
    Pollen-producing spike length
    7–34 mm
    Pollen-producing spike number
    1
    Pollen-producing spike peduncle length
    1.6–37 mm
    Pollen-producing spike width
    1.1–2.7 mm
    Scale awn
    the carpellate scale has an awn on it
    Scale awn texture
    the carpellate scale awn has tiny teeth
    Scale color
    white or translucent
    Scale length
    3.7–8 mm
    Scale tip
    the carpellate scale tip is acuminate (tapered to a narrow point)
    Spike on stalk
    the lowest spike on the plant has a peduncle
    Spike orientation
    the spikes are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis
    Spikes per stem
    2-15
    Stigma branching
    the stigmas have three branches
    Top spike
    the uppermost spike contains only staminate flowers
  • Fruits or seeds

    Achene dimples
    the achene has no folds or dimples
    Achene length
    2.6–3.4 mm
    Achene width
    1.3–1.8 mm
    Style persistence
    the style falls off the mature achenes
  • Leaves

    Leaf arrangement
    • the leaves are all produced from the base of the plant
    • the leaves are mostly produced higher up on the plant
    Leaf blade cross-section
    the leaf blade is flat or M-shaped, with two prominent side-veins
    Leaf blade texture
    the leaf blade is smooth and hairless, or rough and sandpapery
    Leaf blade width
    3.7–7 mm
    Leaf bumps
    the upper surface of the leaf blade does not have papillae
    Leaf sheath bumps
    there are no papillae at the top edge of the leaf sheath
    Leaf sheath color
    the leaf sheath is tinted pink, red or purple
    Leaf sheath dots
    there are no dots on the leaf sheathes
    Leaf sheath folds
    there are no corrugations on the leaf sheath
    Leaf sheath texture
    the leaf sheath feels smooth, and has no hairs
    Ligule length
    1.8–12.9 mm
    Lowest bract sheath
    the lowest bract has a sheath longer than four millimeters
    Lowest leaf blade width
    3.7–7 mm
    Lowest leaf sheath texture
    the leaf sheath feels smooth (it may have soft hairs)
  • Place

    Habitat
    • terrestrial
    • wetlands
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Massachusetts
    Specific habitat
    • forests
    • river or stream floodplains
  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Plant height
    15–80 cm
    Relative stem height
    • the main stem is equal to or shorter than the leaves
    • the main stem is taller than the leaves
    Stem cross-section
    the main stem is roughly triangular in cross-section
    Stem spacing
    the stems grow close together in compact clusters or tufts

Wetland status

Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FAC)

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
absent
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
absent
Rhode Island
absent
Vermont
absent

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)

var. rigida

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)

var. turgida

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

77.  Carex amphibola Steud. N

eastern narrow-leaved sedge. Carex grisea Wahlenb. var. amphibola (Steud.) Kükenth. • CT, MA; also reported from NH by Seymour (1982), but specimens are unknown. Rich, deciduous, upland or riparian forests. Reports of this species in ME, NH, and VT by Magee and Ahles (1999) are based on specimens of Carex conoidea and (mostly) C. grisea.

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Carex grisea

Synonyms

  • Carex grisea Wahlenb. var. amphibola (Steud.) Kükenth.

Family

Cyperaceae

Genus

Carex