Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (10/20/20):
Carex laxiculmis
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Spreading Sedge at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Carex laxiculmis var. laxiculmis
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 030-17-060:
Carex laxiculmis FAMILY Cyperaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Carex laxiculmis
COMMON NAME:
Spreading Sedge
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
JK Marlow jkm240405_8347
April Spartanburg County SC
Pacolet River Heritage Preserve
The lowermost spike is on a long, arching stalk, per Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
)
JK Marlow jkm240405_8351
April Spartanburg County SC
Pacolet River Heritage Preserve
Plants are glaucescent to glaucous. Leaves are much wider than its near-relative C. digitalis, per Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
)
JK Marlow jkm240405_8352
April Spartanburg County SC
Pacolet River Heritage Preserve
)
Terry Holdsclaw tdh_c_laxiculmis_laxicu_1
April Catawba County NC
Leaf blades erect, ascending, or spreading, usually glaucous, per Flora of North America.
)
Terry Holdsclaw tdh_c_laxiculmis_laxicu_2
April Catawba County NC
Pistillate scales keeled, midribs green, margins hyaline (or reddish-brown), per Flora of North America.
)
Terry Holdsclaw tdh_c_laxiculmis_laxicu_3
April Catawba County NC
Longest staminate spike (10)12-25mm, per Flora of North America.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (10/20/20):
Carex laxiculmis
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Carex laxiculmis var. laxiculmis
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 030-17-060:
Carex laxiculmis
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Carex laxiculmis
2209
Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Perennial
Monoecious
Habitat: Slope or alluvial forests, both acidic and rich, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Simple
Basal & low alternate, 3-ranked
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Perianth absent
3 stamens
Superior ovary
Unisexual
Inflorescences: spikes (terminal spike staminate; 1-3 lateral spikes pistillate)
FRUIT:
Spring/Summer
Nutlet
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".