Carex molesta — troublesome sedge
![Leaves: Carex molesta. ~ By John Hilty. ~ Copyright © 2024 John Hilty. ~ john[at]illinoiswildflowers.info ~ Illinois Wildflowers - www.illinoiswildflowers.info/index.htm](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/carex-molesta-le-jhilty.jpg)
![Inflorescence: Carex molesta. ~ By Theodore Cochrane. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~ tscochra[at]facstaff.wisc.edu ~ Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium, U. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/carex-molesta-in-tcochrane.jpg)
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Facts
Both the latin and common names of troublesome sedge (Carex molesta) give one pause. It is a clumping sedge of fields, meadows and roadsides, with slender leaf blades and 2-5 rather densely-clustered oval spikes.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields
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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enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Leaf blade width
- 1.5–4 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 is not borne on 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
- 3–5.7 mm
- Leaf sheath color
- the leaf sheath has no pink, red or purple tinting
- 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
- there are no papillae on the perigynium surface
- Inflorescence length
- 13–35 mm
- Length of scale
- the scale is shorter than the perigynium
- Lowest spike length
- 6–16 mm
- Lowest spike stalk length
- 0 mm
- Lowest spike width
- 5–12 mm
- Perigynium beak
- the perigynium has a beak
- Perigynium beak length
- 0.7–1.8 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 color
- 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
- 3–5.7 mm
- Perigynium nerve number
- At least 5
- Perigynium nerve texture
- the nerves on the perigynium are raised, even after drying the perigynium
- Perigynium nerves lower side
- At least 5
- Perigynium nerves upper side
- 0–6
- Perigynium orientation
-
- the perigynia are angled outwards
- the perigynia are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis or adjacent perigynia
- Perigynium puffy
- the achene is tightly enclosed by the perigynium
- Perigynium shape
-
- the perigynium body is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the perigynium body is orbicular (roughly circular, as wide as long)
- Perigynium width
- 1.8–3 mm
- Perigynium winged
- the perigynium has wings on it
- 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
- white or translucent
- Scale length
- 2.9–3.5 mm
- Scale tip
- the carpellate scale tip is acute (has a sharp point)
- Spike on stalk
- the lowest spike on the plant is not borne on 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
- Achene length
- 1.3–1.7 mm
- Achene width
- 0.9–1.3 mm
- 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 length to width ratio
- 80–95
- Leaf blade texture
- the leaf blade is smooth and hairless, or rough and sandpapery
- Leaf blade width
- 1.5–4 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 has no pink, red or purple tinting
- 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
- 1.5–3.2 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
- 1.5–4 mm
- Lowest leaf sheath texture
- the leaf sheath feels smooth (it may have soft hairs)
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Plant height
- 35–110 cm
- Relative stem height
- the main stem is taller than the leaves
- Spike internode length
- 1.5–6 mm
- 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
- present
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Connecticut
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), special concern (code: SC)
- Massachusetts
- extremely rare (uncertain) (S-rank: S1?), #NAME? (code: #NAME?)
- New Hampshire
- historical (S-rank: SH), endangered (code: E)
- Vermont
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
50. Carex molesta Mackenzie ex Bright N
troublesome sedge. CT, MA, NH, VT. Fields, roadsides, meadows, usually in relatively hydric soils.
Native to North America?
Yes