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• Sedges
• Carex appalachica

Carex appalachica — Appalachian sedge

Facts

Appalachian sedge is an attractive, fine-textured, clump-forming sedge characteristic of New England dry-mesic mixed deciduous forests and forest edges. It can be identified from its narrow blades less than 1.5mm wide, combined with the unusual coiled stigmas.

Habitat

Forests

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Anther length

  0.8–1.3 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

  20–80 mm

  Lowest spike stalk length

  0 mm

  Lowest spike width

  2.5–6.5 mm

  Perigynium beak

  the perigynium has a beak

  Perigynium beak length

  0.3–1 mm

  Perigynium beak orientation

  the beak of the perigynium is straight, and in line with the perigynium

  Perigynium beak serrations

  the perigynium beak has tiny serrations along the edges

  Perigynium beak teeth

  the perigynium beak is divided at the top into two teeth

  Perigynium beak teeth length

  0.1–0.4 mm

  Perigynium color

  • green
  • tan

  Perigynium cross-section

  the perigynium is planoconvex (flat on one surface and rounded on the other) in cross-section

  Perigynium hairs

  the perigynium has no hairs

  Perigynium length

  2–3.4 mm

  Perigynium nerve number

  0

  Perigynium nerve texture

  NA

  Perigynium nerves lower side

  0

  Perigynium nerves upper side

  0

  Perigynium orientation

  the perigynia are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis or adjacent perigynia

  Perigynium shape

  • the perigynium body is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
  • the perigynium body is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
  • the perigynium body is ovate (egg-shaped)

  Perigynium width

  0.8–1.3 mm

  Perigynium winged

  the perigynium has no wings

  Pollen- and seed-producing spikes

  some of the spikes produce perigynia

  Pollen-producing spike length

  0 mm

  Pollen-producing spike number

  0

  Pollen-producing spike peduncle length

  0 mm

  Pollen-producing spike width

  0 mm

  Scale awn

  • The carpellate scale does not have an awn (it may have a short point)
  • the carpellate scale has an awn on it

  Scale awn texture

  • NA
  • the carpellate scale awn does not have teeth (it may or may not have hairs)

  Scale color

  • green
  • white or translucent

  Scale length

  1.2–1.9 mm

  Scale tip

  • the carpellate scale tip is acute (has a sharp point)
  • the carpellate scale tip is obtuse (has a blunt point)

  Spike on stalk

  the lowest spike on the plant is not borne on a peduncle

  Spike orientation

  • the spikes are angled outwards, or arched over
  • the spikes are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis

  Spikes per stem

  2-15

  Stigma branching

  the stigmas have two branches

  Top spike

  the uppermost spike contains both staminate and carpellate flowers, with the carpellate flowers located below, or intermixed with, the staminate flowers

• Fruits or seeds

  Achene dimples

  the achene has no folds or dimples

  Achene length

  1.4–2 mm

  Achene width

  0.8–1.3 mm

  Style persistence

  the style falls off the mature achenes

• Growth form

  Rhizomes

  NA

• Leaves

  Leaf arrangement

  the leaves are all produced from the base of the plant

  Leaf blade cross-section

  The leaf blade is folded lengthwise, with one prominent midvien

  Leaf blade texture

  the leaf blade is smooth and hairless, or rough and sandpapery

  Leaf blade width

  0.9–1.5 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 has no pink, red or purple tinting

  Leaf sheath dots

  there are no dots on the leaf sheathes

  Leaf sheath folds

  the leaf sheath has corrugations on it

  Leaf sheath texture

  the leaf sheath feels smooth, and has no hairs

  Ligule length

  Up to 2 mm

  Lowest bract sheath

  the lowest bract has no sheath (or a very short sheath up to four millimeters in length)

  Lowest leaf blade width

  0.9–1.5 mm

  Lowest leaf sheath texture

  the leaf sheath feels smooth (it may have soft hairs)

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  forests

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Plant height

  20–60 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

Not classified

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae