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Carex pensylvanica — Pennsylvania sedge

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Facts

Pennsylvania sedge is one of the earliest-blooming sedges in the spring. It does not regenerate well following fires, because its roots and rhizomes do not go deep enough into the soil to be insulated from the heat.

Habitat

Forests, grassland, woodlands

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
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
Leaf blade width
0.5–3.6 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
  • the lowest spike on the plant is not borne on a peduncle
Top spike
the uppermost spike contains only staminate flowers
Perigynium hairs
the perigynium is hairy
Perigynium length
2.2–3.4 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
Show all characteristics

  • Flowers

    Anther length
    1.8–4 mm
    Bumps on fruit
    there are no papillae on the perigynium surface
    Length of scale
    the scale is nearly as long as, or longer than, the perigynium
    Lowest spike length
    Up to 15 mm
    Lowest spike stalk length
    At least 0 mm
    Perigynium beak
    the perigynium has a beak
    Perigynium beak length
    0.5–0.9 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
    0.1–0.4 mm
    Perigynium color
    green
    Perigynium cross-section
    • the perigynium is relatively round in cross-section
    • the perigynium is trigonous (triangular) in cross-section
    Perigynium hairs
    the perigynium is hairy
    Perigynium length
    2.2–3.4 mm
    Perigynium nerve number
    0–2
    Perigynium nerve texture
    NA
    Perigynium nerves lower side
    0
    Perigynium nerves upper side
    0
    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 orbicular (roughly circular, as wide as long)
    Perigynium width
    1.1–1.7 mm
    Perigynium winged
    the perigynium has no wings
    Pollen- and seed-producing spikes
    some of the spikes produce perigynia
    Pollen-producing spike length
    8–24 mm
    Pollen-producing spike number
    1
    Pollen-producing spike peduncle length
    0.1–7.5 mm
    Pollen-producing spike width
    1.3–4.6 mm
    Scale awn
    The carpellate scale does not have an awn (it may have a short point)
    Scale awn texture
    NA
    Scale color
    red-brown
    Scale length
    2–4 mm
    Scale tip
    • the carpellate scale tip is acuminate (tapered to a narrow point)
    • 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 has a peduncle
    • 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
    Staminate scale tip
    • the staminate scale tip is acuminate (tapered to a narrow point)
    • the staminate scale tip is acute (has a sharp point)
    • the staminate scale tip is obtuse (has a blunt point)
    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
    1.3–2.3 mm
    Achene width
    0.9–1.4 mm
    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
    0.5–3.6 mm
    Leaf bumps
    • the upper surface of the leaf blade does not have papillae
    • the upper surface of the leaf blade has papillae on it
    Leaf sheath bumps
    • the top edge of the leaf sheath has papillae on it
    • 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
    0.5–3.6 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
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • forests
    • grasslands
    • woodlands

  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Plant height
    10–45 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
    • the stems grow singly or a few together (they may form diffuse colonies)

Wetland status

Not classified

In New England

Distribution

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

Conservation status

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

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

8.  Carex pensylvanica Lam. N

Pennsylvania sedge. Carex marginata Willd. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Dry, well-drained, often sandy, soils of grasslands and oak-, pine-, and/or hickory-dominated woodlands and forests. The report of Carex inops Bailey ssp. heliophila (Mackenzie) Crins by Angelo and Boufford (2007) is based on a collection of C. pensylvanica—18 May 1913, Murdoch, Jr., and Torrey s.n. ( NEBC!).

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Carex communis:
widest leaf blades mostly 3-5 mm wide and plants cespitose with short rhizomes (vs. C. pensylvanica, with the widest leaf blades mostly 0.5-3 mm wide and plants colonial with long rhizomes). Carex lucorum: perigynium with a beak 0.9-1.6 mm long and uppermost stem leaf with a poorly developed blade (vs. perigynium with a beak 0.5-0.9 mm long and upper stem most leaf with a well-developed blade).

Synonyms

  • Carex marginata Willd.

Family

Cyperaceae

Genus

Carex