SafePlants

Carex lasiocarpa var. americana: American Woolly-fruit Sedge

Carex lasiocarpa var. americana, commonly known as American Woolly-fruit Sedge, is a sedge species found in North America. It is also referred to as Slender Bog Sedge and Slender Woolly Sedge.

Considerations for Pets

• The plant is a sedge.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Carex lasiocarpa var. americana
• Synonym: Carex lasiocarpa ssp. americana
• Common Names: American Woolly-fruit Sedge, Narrow-leaved Woolly Sedge, Woolly-fruit Sedge, Slender Sedge, Wiregrass Sedge
• Family: Cyperaceae (Sedge Family)
• Order: Cyperales (Grasses/Sedges)
• Taxonomic Rank: Subspecies (var. americana)

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to much of North America, including southern Canada, the United States, California and Northern Mexico.
• Found in wetland habitats, including fens.

Morphological Characteristics

• The "woolly" descriptor comes from the densely pubescent (fuzzy) fruit.
• The fruit is coated in a fuzzy to woolly perigynium.

Ecology

• Observed in association with American Beavers (Castor canadensis).
• Grows alongside other wetland species like common lake sedge, tussock sedge, common bur-reed, and swamp loosestrife.

Quirky Facts

• The text mentions "frozen mammoths" and their diets consisting of sedges, highlighting the historical ecological importance of these plants.

Further Information

• USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
• Wisconsin State Herbarium
• BONAP data