Carex intumescens Rudge
Bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Liliopsida Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass Commelinidae Dayflowers and spiderworts, and several others
Order Cyperales Flowering plants including grasses
Family Cyperaceae Sedge family
Genus Carex The “true” sedges
Species intumescens Latin for “swollen”
About plant names...
Bladder sedge is a North American native. Often found near water, it is also found at
forest edges.
Plant: These small grass-like plants are
typically less than 1′ (30 cm) high.
Leaves: Leaves are dark, parallel-veined, 4-10″ (10-25 cm)
long, ⅛-¼″ (3.5-8 mm) wide.
Flowers/seeds: During April-June, curiously shaped inflorescences appear,
roughly spherical or corncob-shaped,
¾-6″ (2-15 cm) long, looking like several green teardrops
connected at the fat end, pointing in all directions. Each teardrop is a perigynium up to
⅝″ (1.6 cm) long, containing a seed (achene )
about ⅛″ (5 mm) long. The perigynia are larger than most, an aid to identifcation.
Carex intumescens is sometimes confused with C. folliculata ,
but the perigynia of the latter aren’t as fat.
Online References:
YouTube Video footage
Lsa-miflora-p.lsait.lsa.umich.eduspecies.aspx
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
EFloras
References:
Arsenault, Matt; Mittelhauser, Glen H.; Cameron, Don; Dibble, Alison C.; Haines, Arthur; Rooney, Sally C.; and Weber, Jill E., Sedges of Maine: A Field Guide to Cyperaceae , University of Maine Press, 2013 , p. 326
6/14/2019 · J. Harry Rich Trail, Groton, Massachusetts
6/26/2014 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 6″ (20 × 14 cm)
8/18/2010 · J. Harry Rich Woods, off Nod Rd., Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)
6/26/2014 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 15 cm)
9/29/2016 · Henry E. Cowdrey Nature Center, Lunenberg, Massachusetts
5/31/2016 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Pepperell, Massachusetts
5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 15 cm)
6/13/2021 · Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (11 × 17 cm)
6/14/2019 · J. Harry Rich Trail, Groton, Massachusetts
6/2/2010 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm)
6/2/2010 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (15 × 23 cm)
5/31/2016 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Pepperell, Massachusetts
6/2/2010 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm)
5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (14 × 22 cm)
5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 11″ (18 × 27 cm)
Older scientific or horticultural names
Carex intumescens Rudge var. fernaldii L.H. Bailey
Carex intumescens description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 14 Sep 2023.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
6/13/2021 · Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
5/31/2016 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Pepperell, Massachusetts
5/31/2016 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Pepperell, Massachusetts
5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 3½ × 5″ (9.2 × 13 cm)
7/3/2023 · Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
7/23/2017 · Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Pennsylvania · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
6/15/2012 · Townsend State Forest, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (11 × 17 cm)
7/29/2023 · Highlands Trails, Topsham, Maine
10/18/2023 · Highlands Trails, Topsham, Maine
7/23/2017 · Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Pennsylvania · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
7/23/2017 · Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Pennsylvania · ≈ 4 × 6″ (11 × 16 cm)
7/3/2023 · Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
7/29/2023 · Highlands Trails, Topsham, Maine
5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 17 × 12″ (44 × 29 cm)
6/13/2021 · Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
6/2/2013 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 16 cm)
Range:
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