Native & Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas & Georgia

Search by scientific name

OR search by...

2209

Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Perennial
Monoecious

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

Documented growing wild in GA NC SC

Common (uncommon in GA-SC Piedmont, rare in Coastal Plain)

Look for it in rich slope or alluvial forests, per Weakley's Flora

map
To see a detailed map, click here

 

LEAVES:
Simple
Basal & low alternate, 3-ranked

FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Unisexual
Perianth absent
3 stamens
Superior ovary
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!



Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
 Carex laxiculmis var. 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

 

COMMON NAME:
 spreading sedge

Click or hover over the thumbnails to see larger pictures.

image of Carex laxiculmis var. laxiculmis, spreading sedge

Terry Holdsclaw    tdh_c_laxiculmis_laxicu_1

April    Catawba County    NC

Leaf blades erect, ascending, or spreading, usually glaucous, per Flora of North America.

image of Carex laxiculmis var. laxiculmis, spreading sedge

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.

image of Carex laxiculmis var. laxiculmis, spreading sedge

Terry Holdsclaw    tdh_c_laxiculmis_laxicu_3

April    Catawba County    NC

Longest staminate spike (10)12-25mm, per Flora of North America.