Carex media — closed-headed sedge

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Bumps on fruit

  • the perigynium surface has papillae on it
  • there are no papillae on the perigynium surface

  Length of scale

  the scale is shorter than the perigynium

  Lowest spike length

  5–12 mm

  Lowest spike stalk length

  Up to 10 mm

  Lowest spike width

  3–6 mm

  Perigynium beak

  the perigynium has a beak

  Perigynium beak length

  0.3–0.4 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
  • 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

  Up to 0.5 mm

  Perigynium color

  • brown
  • green
  • yellow

  Perigynium cross-section

  the perigynium is relatively round in cross-section

  Perigynium hairs

  the perigynium has no hairs

  Perigynium length

  2.5–3.5 mm

  Perigynium nerve number

  At least 0

  Perigynium nerve texture

  NA

  Perigynium nerves lower side

  At least 0

  Perigynium nerves upper side

  At least 0

  Perigynium orientation

  • the perigynia are angled outwards
  • the perigynia are curved or bent downwards or backwards along the axis
  • 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 ovate (egg-shaped)

  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
  • purple to black

  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 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 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 no rhizomes, or the rhizomes are very short

• 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

  2–4 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

  2–4 mm

  Lowest leaf sheath texture

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

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  Maine

  Specific habitat

  • alpine or subalpine zones
  • cliffs, balds, or ledges

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Plant height

  15–70 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)

In New England

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key