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Great Plains sedge
Scientific Name: Carex melanostachya
Family: Cyperaceae
Category: Monocot
Growth: Graminoid
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Great Plains Sedge (Carex melanostachya)
Carex melanostachya, commonly known as Great Plains sedge, is a plant found in various regions. It is also sometimes referred to by the synonym C. nutans.
Considerations for Pets
- The plant has slender, wiry, 3-sided culms (stems).
- Leaves can be folded or flat.
Scientific Classification
- Genus: Carex
- Species: Carex melanostachya
- Synonym: C. nutans
Distribution and Habitat
This sedge is native to all US states except South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, Utah, and Nevada. It is associated with the Great Plains region.
Morphological Characteristics
- Culms (stems) are slender, wiry, 3-sided, and glabrous (smooth).
- Leaves are 2 to 18 inches long and 1/25 to 1/7 inch wide, with blades folded lengthwise or flat.
- It is a perennial sedge and can grow to about 1 foot tall.
Ecological Role
- It is an important grass-like range plant in the grasslands of the Great Plains.
- Sedge Wrens use this sedge, along with other vegetation, in wet environments.
Growing Information
- Seeds per ounce: 38,000
- Germination Code: C(60)
- Wetland Code: FACU
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun/Part Shade
Interactions with Other Organisms
- The Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) utilizes Carex melanostachya in its habitat.
- It grows in proximity to other plants such as western wheatgrass, blue grama, little bluestem, and buffalograss.
Further Information
- Discover Life offers a page on the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Carex melanostachya.
- Additional information may be found at dict.cc (German-English dictionary).
- Photographs are available in Hippolyte Coste's "Flore descriptive et illustre de la France, de la Corse et des contrées limitrophes".