TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993)	previous taxon | next taxon Jepson Interchange (more information)
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CYPERACEAE

SEDGE FAMILY

Raymond Cranfill, except as specified

Annual or perennial herb, often rhizomed, often of wet open places, generally monoecious; roots fibrous, hairy
Stem generally 3-sided
Leaves often 3-ranked; sheath generally closed; ligule generally 0; blade (0) various, parallel-veined
Inflorescence: spikelets variously clustered; flowers generally sessile in axil of flower bract
Flower small, generally wind-pollinated; perianth 0 or bristle-like; stamens generally 3, anthers attached at base, 4-chambered; ovary superior, 1-chambered, 1-ovuled, style 2–3-branched
Fruit: achene, generally 3-sided
Genera in family: ± 110 genera, 3600 species: worldwide, especially temp
Reference: [Tucker 1987 J Arnold Arbor 68:361–445]
Difficult: taxa differ in technical characters of inflorescence and fruit.

CAREX

SEDGE

Joy Mastrogiuseppe

Perennial, cespitose or from rhizomes, generally monoecious
Stem generally sharply 3-angled, generally solid
Leaves 3-ranked, generally glabrous except generally scabrous on midrib, margin; sheath closed, back (blade side of stem) green, ribbed, front generally thin, translucent, forming generally U-shaped mouth at top
Inflorescence: spikelets generally several–many, arrayed in raceme, panicle, or head-like cluster, each 1–many-flowered, generally subtended by a spikelet bract
Flowers unisexual, each subtended by 1 flower bract; perianth 0
Staminate flower: stamens generally 3
Pistillate flower enclosed by perigynium (sac-like bract); perigynium body 2–3-sided or round, wall generally delicate; perigynium beak tip open, often notched; style 1, generally deciduous, stigmas 2–4, exserted
Fruit 2–4-sided
Etymology: (Latin: cutter, from sharp leaf and stem edges)
Reference: [Standley 1985 Syst Bot Monogr 7:1–106]
Fully mature perigynia needed for identification, so are described under "FR" (long-persistent perigynia are often atypical); perigynium "front" faces spikelet axis; "fruit" refers to achene body (excluding beak). "Shredding" lower leaf sheath fronts become a network or fringe of veins; some others shred longitudinally only. Difficult because of many species and minute key characters; longer key statements and descriptions are designed to enhance both ease and probability of correct identification. Group descriptions are assumed in specific descriptions
Horticultural information: Many species especially those with rhizomes are INVASIVE. This is one of the most effective genera for knitting moist or wet soil.

Native

C. pellita Willd.

WOOLLY SEDGE

(Group 3) Rhizomed
Stem 30–100 cm
Leaf: blade 1.5–5 mm wide, flat, glabrous, slender tip short, basal blades minute; ligule of upper leaves > 2 mm, thin, membranous; sheath mouth densely hairy or not but not ciliate, lower fronts often not shredding
Inflorescence: lowest internode 0.5–0.9 mm wide; pistillate spikelets generally sessile; pistillate flower bract > perigynium, ± ciliate, purplish or brown, with very narrow white margin, awned
Fruit: perigynia 25–75 per spikelet, 2.8–5 mm, 1.5–2 mm wide, thick-walled, weakly many-ribbed, generally purplish, beak 0.5–1.2 mm, teeth ± outcurved, 0.2–0.9 mm; fruit 1.5–2.1 mm, 1–1.5 mm wide, persistent style base generally straight
Ecology: Generally marshy places
Elevation: 60–3300 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Klamath Ranges, High Cascade Range, High Sierra Nevada, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, San Gabriel Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, Great Basin Floristic Province, Mojave Desert
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, e N.America
Synonyms: C. lanuginosa Michx. misapplied; C. lasiocarpa var. lanuginosa Kük. misapplied
Horticultural information: TRY; STBL.