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- Carex seorsa
Carex seorsa — weak stellate 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
Weak stellate sedge is a sedge of shady acidic swamps, usually on sandy soil. The smooth margins of the perigynium beak sets this species apart from its close relatives.
Habitat
Forests, swamps
Characteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Leaf blade width
- 0.8–3.9 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
- 1.8–2.9 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
- Anther length
- 1–1.9 mm
- Bumps on fruit
- there are no papillae on the perigynium surface
- Inflorescence length
- 18–70 mm
- Length of scale
- the scale is shorter than the perigynium
- Lowest spike length
- 2.8–10.8 mm
- Lowest spike stalk length
- 0 mm
- Perigynium beak
- the perigynium has a beak
- Perigynium beak length
- 0.2–0.6 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
- 0.2–0.6 mm
- Perigynium color
- brown
- 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
- 1.8–2.9 mm
- Perigynium nerve number
- 6–20
- Perigynium nerve texture
- the nerves on the perigynium are raised, even after drying the perigynium
- Perigynium nerves lower side
- 6–14
- Perigynium nerves upper side
- 0–6
- Perigynium orientation
-
- the perigynia are angled outwards
- the perigynia are curved or bent downwards or backwards along the axis
- 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
- 1–1.9 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
- green
- white or translucent
- Scale length
- 1.2–2.2 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
- Staminate scale tip
- the staminate scale tip is acute (has a sharp point)
- 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
- 1.2–1.6 mm
- Achene width
- 0.85–1.4 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 mostly produced higher up on the plant
- Leaf blade cross-section
-
- The leaf blade is folded lengthwise, with one prominent midvien
- the leaf blade is flat or M-shaped, with two prominent side-veins
- Leaf blade length to width ratio
- 113–128
- Leaf blade texture
- the leaf blade is smooth and hairless, or rough and sandpapery
- Leaf blade width
- 0.8–3.9 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
- 1.7–7 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
- 0.8–3.9 mm
- Lowest leaf sheath texture
- the leaf sheath feels smooth (it may have soft hairs)
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Specific habitat
-
- forests
- swamps
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Plant height
- 15–75 cm
- Relative stem height
- the main stem is taller than the leaves
- Spike internode length
- 5–27 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
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
- New Hampshire
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
174. Carex seorsa Howe N
weak stellate sedge. CT, MA, NH, RI. Forested swamps, usually on acidic, sandy substrate and under deciduous trees or in the shade of Chamaecyparis.