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- Dichotomous Key
- Cyperaceae
- Carex
- Carex Group 6
- Section Racemosae
- Carex atratiformis
Carex atratiformis — scabrous black sedge
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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Facts
Found only in the northern portions of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, scabrous black sedge is so named because the mature perigynia are dark brown to dark red-brown, and the spikes are borne on slender stalks that are scabrous just under the inflorescence.
Habitat
Alpine or subalpine zones, cliffs, balds, or ledges, shores of rivers or lakes
Characteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Leaf blade width
- 2.5–5 mm
- Lowest bract sheath
- the lowest bract has no sheath (or a very short sheath up to four millimeters in length)
- Spike on stalk
- the lowest spike on the plant has a peduncle
- Top spike
- the uppermost spike contains both staminate and carpellate flowers, with the staminate flowers located below the carpellate flowers
- Perigynium hairs
- the perigynium has no hairs
- Perigynium length
- 2.5–3 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 divided at the top into two teeth
-
Flowers
- Bumps on fruit
- the perigynium surface has papillae on it
- Length of scale
- the scale is nearly as long as, or longer than, the perigynium
- Lowest spike length
- 10–25 mm
- Lowest spike stalk length
- 10–40 mm
- Lowest spike width
- 5–8 mm
- Perigynium beak
- the perigynium has a beak
- Perigynium beak length
- 0.4–0.5 mm
- Perigynium beak orientation
- 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 divided at the top into two teeth
- Perigynium beak teeth length
- Up to 0.5 mm
- Perigynium color
- brown
- Perigynium cross-section
- the perigynium is relatively round in cross-section
- Perigynium hairs
- the perigynium has no hairs
- Perigynium length
- 2.5–3 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 puffy
- the perigynium is inflated (there is space between the perigynium and the achene)
- Perigynium shape
-
- the perigynium body is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the perigynium body is ovate (egg-shaped)
- Perigynium width
- 1.5–1.75 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)
- Scale awn texture
- NA
- Scale color
-
- brown
- tan
- Scale tip
- the carpellate scale tip is acute (has a sharp point)
- Spike on stalk
- the lowest spike on the plant has a peduncle
- Spike orientation
-
- the spikes are angled outwards, or arched over
- the spikes are bent downwards or droop downwards
- Spikes per stem
- 2-15
- Stigma branching
- the stigmas have three branches
- Top spike
- the uppermost spike contains both staminate and carpellate flowers, with the staminate flowers located below the carpellate flowers
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene dimples
- the achene has no folds or dimples
- Style persistence
- the style falls off the mature achenes
-
Growth form
- Rhizomes
- there are long rhizomes present
-
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
- 2.5–5 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 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
- Lowest bract sheath
- the lowest bract has no sheath (or a very short sheath up to four millimeters in length)
- Lowest leaf blade width
- 2.5–5 mm
- Lowest leaf sheath texture
- the leaf sheath feels smooth (it may have soft hairs)
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- alpine or subalpine zones
- cliffs, balds, or ledges
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Plant height
- 20–70 cm
- Relative stem height
- 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
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- rare to uncommon (S-rank: S2S3), special concern (code: SC)
- New Hampshire
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Vermont
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), threatened (code: T)
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
Synonyms
- Carex atrata L. ssp. atratiformis (Britt.) Kükenth.
- Carex ovata Rudge
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
162. Carex atratiformis Britt. NC
scabrous black sedge. Carex atrata L. ssp. atratiformis (Britt.) Kükenth.; C. ovata Rudge • ME, NH, VT. Wet cliffs, river shores, and stream-side outcrops in high-pH bedrock areas, also of stream shores and wet rocks in subalpine communities.