Sedge Group 8
What are they?
This group includes sedge species that have their flowers arranged in several spikelets, with the upper spikelets made up of all (or mostly all) male and the lower spikelets made up of all female flowers. There is thus a clear different between the upper and lower spikelets. The hairless utricles in members of this group separates them from Group 3 sedges, while the female flowers with three stigmas separates them from group 4 sedges. As with the sedge species in group 7, the flower spikelets do not become clearly pendulous as the fruits develop, but in this group, the plants themselves do not form tight tussocks of leaves.
Where are they found?
These are sedges of wetland habitats, either found along the margins of permanently wet areas such as largr rivers, ponds and lakes, or in wet meadow and fen habitats.
Identification
While the overall flower spike details define this group, the finer details of the flowers and fruits are necessary for species identification. Note the shape and colour of both the male and female glumes (flower bracts) and note details of shape and size of the ripe utricles (fruits).
Lesser Pond Sedge Carex acutiformis
Native. Widespread and common along rivers, larger ditches and channels and beside ponds, lakes and broads. Will often grow in shady conditions in alder and willow carr and other wet woods. Flowers June to July, fruits July to September. Plants form extensive spreading colonies (sedge beds), 60-150cm in height. Leaves 7-10mm wide, with a pointed ligule. Flower spike about one third the length of the stem, with 2-3 male and 3-4 female spikelets. male glumes obtuse to subacute at the tip; female glumes acute. Flowers usually with three stigmas but occasionally with two. Utricles 3.5-5mm long, elliptical to oval, flattened, with beak 0.5mm long and slightly notched at the tip.
Often grows together with Greater Pond Sedge, from which it is most easily told by the shape of the tips of the glumes (if in flower) or by the shape of the leaf ligule.
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Greater Pond Sedge Carex riparia
Native. Widespread and common along rivers, larger ditches and channels and beside ponds, lakes and broads. Will often grow in shady conditions in alder and willow carr and other wet woods. Flowers May to June, fruits June to September. Plants form extensive spreading colonies (sedge beds), 60-130cm in height. Leaves 6-15mm wide, with a rounded ligule. Flower spike about one third the length of the stem, with 3-6 male and 1-5 female spikelets. male and female glumes with long acuminate tips. Flowers with three stigmas. Utricles 5-8mm long, oval, slightly inflated, with beak 1-2mm long and clearly notched at the tip.
Often grows together with Lesser Pond Sedge, from which it is most easily told by the shape of the tips of the glumes (if in flower) or by the shape of the leaf ligule.
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Bottle Sedge Carex rostrata
Native. Widespread but uncommon, favouring acid wetlands which are uncommon in East Anglia. Flowers June to July, fruits July to September. Plants form spreading colonies of tufted shoots, 20-100cm in height, often in sedge beds with other sedges and rushes. Leaves 2-7mm wide, glaucous above, green and shiny below. Flower spike up to half the length of the stem, with 2-4 male and 2-5 female spikelets. Flower bracts leaf-like, exceeding the length of the flower spikes, the lower one not (or barely) sheathing the stem. Femle glumes acute, shorter than utricles. Flowers with three stigmas. Utricles 3.5-6.5mm long, obovoid and abruptly contracted into a slender beak, 1-1.5mm long.
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Common Bladder Sedge Carex vesicaria
Native. Widespread but uncommon and thinly scattered in muddy wetlands throughout East Anglia. Flowers June, fruits July to August. Plants form spreading colonies, 30-120cm in height with the stems noticeably flushed red at the base. Leaves 4-8mm wide, with a pointed ligule, green to yellowish green above, paler and with dense stomata below. Flower spike about one third to one quarter the length of the stem, with 2-4 male and 2-3 female spikelets. male and female glumes with acute or acuminate tips. Flowers with three stigmas. Utricles 5-8mm long, shiny green, inflated, with beak 1.2-2.5mm long and clearly notched at the tip.
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Glaucous Sedge Carex flacca
Native. Common and widespread in places with relatively short grass and in chalky fens. Unusually, this is a sedge that will grow in both wet and very dry soils. Flowers May to June, fruits June to September. Plants form spreading colonies of tufted shoots, 10-60cm in height. Leaves 1.5-4mm wide, dull green above, pale blue-green below with the midrib groove running all the way to the tip of the leaf. Flower spike 2-3cm long with (1)2-3 male and 1-5 female spikelets. Flowers with three stigmas. Utricles small, 2-3mm long, ellipsoid to obovoid, minutely warty with a minuscule beak, 0.2-0.3mm long.
Often grows with the somewhat similar Carnation Sedge, but that species has leaves with a midrib groove that stops well short of the leaf tip.
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stigmas mature |
stigmas mature |
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Carnation Sedge Carex panicea
Native. Widespread in damp grassland and grassy fens, typically on neutral to acid soils. Flowers May to June, fruits June to September. Plants form spreading colonies of tufted shoots, 10-60cm in height. Leaves 1.5-5mm wide, blue-green with the midrib groove stopping well short of the tip of the leaf. Flower spike with 1 male and 1-3 female spikelets. Flowers with three stigmas. Utricles small, 3-4mm long, broadly obovoid, smooth, with the tip angled outwards and with a minuscule beak, 0.2-0.5mm long.
Often grows with the somewhat similar Glaucous Sedge, but that species has leaves with a midrib groove that continues to the leaf tip.
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anthers mature |
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Tawny Sedge Carex hostiana
Native. Mostly a plant of upland, acid bogs and mires so rather scarce in East Anglia. Occurs scattered in acid fens and mires but never in any quantity. Flowers June, fruits July to August. Stems scattered, often solitary, 4-40cm in height. Leaves 2-3mm wide, pale green. Flower spike with 1-2 male and 1-3 female spikelets. Flowers with three stigmas. Utricles small, 2-4mm long, obovoid, ribbed, with the tip angled outwards and with a beak, 0.8-1.2mm long.
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Carex x fulva
Native. Considered to be the most frequent of sedge hybrids and may be found wherever the parents grow together. The hybrid shows mixed features between the two parents, Yellow Sedge and Tawny Sedge. Flower spikes are more contracted than those of Tawny Sedge, with longer flower bracts, while the spike is more elongate than those of the yellow sedges. Utricles are barren, without a seed inside and are somewhat flattened.
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