Native Sedges

Carex kelloggii
KELLOG'S SEDGE

GENERAL:  Densely tufted, with short rhizomes; stems 10-80 cm tall, brownish and shreddy at the base, with conspicuous old leaves.

LEAVES:  Flat above, channelled below, 1-3 mm wide, usually exceeding the stems; sheaths brown spotted.

INFLORESCENCE:  Terminal spike usually male; lateral 3-5 spikes female, close together or slightly separated, erect, the upper stalkless, the lower short-stalked; lowest bract leaf-like, much longer than inflorescence.

PERIGYNIA:  Light-green to straw-coloured, somewhat granular-bumpy on the surface, egg-shaped, 2-4 mm long, several-veined on both sides, abruptly short-beaked, short stalked, falling off early; scales purplish-brown to blackish, shorter than perigynia; 2 stigmas.

ECOLOGY:  Bogs, swamps, wet meadows, stream-banks, lake-shores, from low to subalpine elevations; common and widespread.

Carex lyngbyei
LYNGBY'S SEDGE

GENERAL:  Stems single or in clumps from well-developed creeping rhizomes and stolons, 20-100 cm tall, purplish-brown at the base but not shreddy, with conspicuous old leaves.

LEAVES:  Flat with margins rolled under, 2-8 mm wide, shorter than stems, rough, abruptly pointed.

INFLORESCENCE:  Spikes all on slender, spreading or drooping stalks; upper 2-3 spikes male, lower 2-4 spikes cylindrical, female or with male flowers at the top; lowermost bract leaf-like.

PERIGYNIA:  Green to brown, egg-shaped, about 3 mm long, plump, leathery and thick-walled, obscurely veined on both sides, beakless or with a very short, whitish beak; scales reddish-brown to black, sharp tipped, much longer than perigynia; 2 stigmas.

ECOLOGY:  Tidal marshes and flats, estuarine meadows, brackish marshes, gravel or cobble beaches; very common along the coastline.

Carex macrocephala
LARGE HEADED SEDGE

GENERAL:  Stems single or few together from long, horizontally spreading rhizomes buried in sand, 10-40 cm tall, stiff, stout, dark-shreddy and clothed with old leaves at the base.

LEAVES:  Clustered near the base, 4-8 mm wide, thick, yellowish-green, channelled, sharp-pointed, often exceeding the stems.

INFLORESCENCE:  Male and female spikes on separate plants, in dense heads 4-6 cm long and 1-4 cm wide, erect; female spikes numerous, stalkless, in tight, egg-shaped clusters; male spikes similarly arranged but in smaller clusters.

PERIGYNIA:  Lance-egg-shaped, 10-15 mm long, thick, leathery, shiny, yellowish-brown, winged and minutely saw-toothed on edges, long-beaked; scales chestnut brown, shorter than perigynia; 3 stigmas.

ECOLOGY:  Sandy seashores, coastal dunes; common but scattered.

Carex obnupta
SLOUGH SEDGE

GENERAL:  Densely tufted along, long, stout rhizomes; stems coarse, stiff, 60-150 cm tall, purplish and with shreddy sheaths (becoming web-like) at base, with conspicuous old leaves.

LEAVES:  Flat to channelled, with margins rolled under, 3-10 mm wide, coarse, firm, shorter than stems.

INFLORESCENCE:  Upper 1-3 spikes male, often curving; lower 2-4 spikes cylindrical, female or with male flowers at top, stalkless or on short erect stalks, spreading or dropping; lowermost bract leaf-like, longer than spikes.

PERIGYNIA:  Shiny yellowish-green or brown, elliptic, plump, leathery and thick-walled, 2 ribbed but nerveless on both sides, with very short beak; scales purplish-black, sharp-tipped, longer than perigynia; 2 stigmas.

ECOLOGY:  Marshes, swamps, bogs, stream-banks, lake-shores, wet forest openings, meadows, clearings; common at low elevations.

Carex rostrata
BEAKED SEDGE

GENERAL:  Thick stems, to 120 cm tall, in large clumps from short, stout rhizomes and long, creeping stolons, sometimes forming a dense sod; base light brown, thick, spongy, conspicuously clothed with old leaves; sheaths not shredding and becoming web-like.

LEAVES:  Upper leaves long, exceeding stems, yellowish-green, rather thick, more or less flat, up to 12 mm wide, conspicuously partitioned by whitish, knot-like crosswalls between the veins.

INFLORESCENCE:  Long, with cylindrical spikes; 2-4 overlapping male spikes at the top; densely flowered, short-stalked or stalkless, erect female spikes below; lowest bract leaf-like, longer than spikes.

PERIGYNIA:  Inflated, membranous but firm, shining, yellowish-green to straw-coloured, egg shaped, 3-8 mm long, several-ribbed, abruptly tapering to a beak with 2 short points, spreading at maturity; scales reddish-brown and narrower than the perigynia; 3 stigmas.

ECOLOGY:  A very common, large water sedge that prefers perennially wet areas at low to middle elevations.

Carex sitchensis
SITKA SEDGE

GENERAL:  Tufted from coarse, short, scaly, brown-purplish rhizomes; stems 40-150 cm tall, reddish brown at base, with conspicuous old leaves.

LEAVES:  Flat with margins rolled under, 3-10 mm wide, partitioned by whitish, knot-like crosswalls between the veins; sheaths dark tinged at mouth.

INFLORESCENCE:  Long, cylindrical spikes; 1-4 erect, male, terminal spikes; lower 3-5 spikes female or with male flowers at top, erect or drooping on slender stalks; lowermost bract leaf-like, longer than inflorescence.

PERIGYNIA:  Greenish or straw-coloured, oval to egg-shaped, 2-3.5 mm long, veinless, short-beaked; scales purplish-brown with clear or whitish tip, longer than perigynia; 2 stigmas.

ECOLOGY:  Fens, swamps, marshes, wet meadows, lake-shores, from low to middle elevations; common and widespread.

Juncus effusus
COMMON RUSH

GENERAL:  Tufted perennial from stout rhizomes; stems leafless, 25-130 cm tall, round, finely grooved, 1.5-3 mm thick.

LEAVES:  All basal, reduced to brown sheaths.

INFLORESCENCE:  Apparently lateral, many-flowered, compact to open; lowermost bract 8-25 cm long, erect and appearing as a continuation of the stem; flower scales ('sepals' and 'petals') greenish or brownish, 2-3.5 mm long; stamens usually 3, anthers about 1 mm long.

FRUITS:  Capsules, egg-shaped, slightly shorter than or about as long as the scales, blunt or rounded at the tip; seeds ellipsoid, finely ridged, minutely pointed at tips.

ECOLOGY:  Moist to wet fields, pastures, roadsides, ditches, clearings, tideflats, pond margins and bogs, at low to middle elevations; common, often abundant in disturbed habitats.

Scirpus lacustris
SOFT STEMMED BULRUSH

GENERAL:  Stout perennial from thick, scaly, reddish-brown rhizomes, sometimes forming large colonies; stems cylindrical, erect, in rows along rhizomes, 1-2 cm thick towards the base, mostly 1-3 m tall.

LEAVES:  Few, mostly at or near the base of the stem, reduced to prominent membranous sheaths with poorly developed or no blades.

INFLORESCENCE:  Spikelets brown, 8-15 mm long, several to many in an open to compact, branched, terminal cluster; main involucral bract 1-10 cm long, greenish, appearing as an extension of the stem.

FRUITS:  Achenes, egg-shaped, nut-like, pointy-tipped, about 2 mm long, concealed by brownish to pale-grey, spirally arranged scales, each surrounded by several fragile, whitish bristles that are about as long as the achene.

ECOLOGY:  Marshes, muddy shores, shallow water (fresh and brackish), at low elevations; occurs sporadically north of Vancouver Island, more frequently in the southern half of our region, where it is locally abundant.

Scirpus microcarpus
SMALL FLOWERED BULRUSH

GENERAL:  Stems usually clustered, from a sturdy rhizome, stout, triangular, leafy, to 1.5 m tall.

LEAVES:  Several, from both the base and the stem, flat, 10-15 mm wide; leaf sheaths often purplish-tinged and with whitish, knot-like crosswalls.

INFLORESCENCE:  Numerous short spikelets in small clusters at the ends of spreading stalks; involucral bracts several, leaf-like.

FRUITS:  Pale, lens-shaped, seed-like, pointy-tipped achenes, 1 mm long, each surrounded by 4-6 slightly longer bristles; scales greenish-black with prominent midrib.

ECOLOGY:  Swamps, sloughs, streambanks, wet ditches and clearings; common at low to middle elevations.

Typha latifolia
CATTAIL

GENERAL:  Marsh or semiaquatic perennial from coarse rhizomes; stems pithy, unbranched, cylindrical, 1-3 m tall.

LEAVES:  Alternate, flat, long and narrow (somewhat grass-like), sheathing at the base, somewhat spongy, greyish-green, 1-2 cm wide.

FLOWERS:  Tiny; numerous, in a terminal cylindrical spike; lower portion of spike with female flowers, 15-20 cm long, 1-3 cm thick, dark brown; upper portion with male flowers, cone shaped, disintegration and leaving stem tip bare above the persistent club-shaped female spike.

FRUITS:  Tiny ellipsoidal nutlets, about 1 mm long, designed to float in wind or water, with numerous long, slender hairs at the base.

ECOLOGY:  Marshes, ponds, lakeshores, and wet ditches, in slow-flowing or quiet water; low to middle elevations.