Carex L. Sedge
The Carex genus, part of the sedge family (Cyperaceae), comprises over 2000 species, many of which are very difficult to distinguish. Sedges resemble grasses and rushes, and have grasslike leaves. The stems of most sedges are angular, usually triangular, in cross section. The reproductive structures generally look quite striking, unlike most grasses and flowers. They may appear as long thin columns, or spiky "corncobs," or compact blobs with sharp-edged protuberances—even “cotton balls.” Their leaves tend to have zigzag or U-shaped cross sections. If you get really interested in sedges, you’ll need to master some specialized terminology, and you will find a hand lens or scanner to be of great value. I find them to be more fun to identify than many grasses. Many of the Carex IDs presented on this site are uncertain at this stage. Those on this page are not yet identified. Online References:
References:
(Carex) · 6/30/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts (Carex) · 6/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts (Carex) · 6/4/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts (Carex) · 6/2/2010 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts
Carex description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020. © FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved. |
(Carex) · 6/21/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts (Carex) · 6/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts (Carex) · 6/1/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts Sedge (Carex) · 4/28/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Pepperell, Massachusetts (Carex) · 6/1/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts (Carex) · 6/1/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts (Carex) · 6/4/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts Range:
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