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white edge sedge

Scientific Name: Carex debilis var. rudgei

Family: Cyperaceae

Category: Monocot

Growth: Graminoid

Duration: Perennial

Other Names: IN (white-edge sedge)

       

White Edge Sedge (Carex debilis)

Carex debilis, commonly known as White Edge Sedge or Weak Sedge, is a highly variable sedge species with a wide distribution.

Considerations for Pets

  • Some sedges have sharp edges on their leaves.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Carex debilis Michx.
  • Common Names: White Edge Sedge, Weak Sedge
  • Genus: Carex L.
  • Family: Cyperaceae (Sedge family)
  • Varieties:
    • Carex debilis var. debilis
    • Carex debilis var. intercursa Fernald
    • Carex debilis var. rudgei
  • Synonyms/Alternative Names: Slenderstalk Sedge

Distribution and Habitat

Carex debilis is found in various locations, including:

  • North America: United States (Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois)
  • Canada: Nova Scotia
  • Europe: Portugal (Azores)
  • Peak District National Park, UK.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • Plants are densely cespitose (growing in tufts or clumps).
  • Culms (flowering stems) are dark maroon at the base, ranging from 25 to 100 cm in length.
  • Culms can be as long as or longer than the leaves at maturity.
  • Tiny white flowers are a bonus.

Quirky Facts

  • White Edge Sedge is described as "extremely variable in appearance".
  • The stems of sedges are often triangular, giving rise to the saying "sedges have edges".

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • In loch edges, White-beak Sedge is often associated with Bog Sedge and Round-leaved Sundew.

Further Information

  • Discover Life: Biology, natural history, ecology, identification and distribution of Carex debilis.
  • New England Wild Flower Society.