SafePlants

No images found for this plant ID: 8285.

Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "8285" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.

Safe for Children?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Dogs?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Cats?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Reptiles?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

pale sedge

Scientific Name: Carex pallescens

Family: Cyperaceae

Category: Monocot

Growth: Graminoid

Duration: Perennial

Other Names: MN (pale sedge), OH (pale sedge), TN (pale sedge)

       

Pale Sedge (Carex pallescens)

Pale Sedge is a common name applied to several plants, most notably Carex pallescens and sometimes Carex livida. It is a member of the Cyperaceae (Sedge) family. This plant, often found in damp grasslands, boggy areas, and woodland edges, presents a distinctive appearance with bright green to yellow-green leaves.

Considerations for Pets

  • The text mentions "rough leaves" for some varieties of pale sedge.
  • Pale sedge can grow up to 60cm, potentially being within reach of many household pets.

Nomenclature and Taxonomy

  • Scientific Name: Carex pallescens L.
  • Common Names: Pale Sedge, Pale Green Sedge, Livid Sedge (sometimes refers to Carex livida)
  • Family: Cyperaceae (Sedge Family)
  • Rank: Species

Distribution and Habitat

  • Pale Sedge is found in wet soils, such as woodland edges and stream banks.
  • It thrives in light shade, such as open woodlands.
  • It tolerates calcareous soils, which are alkaline with a pH of 7 to 8.
  • It is fairly frequent around Northern Ireland.
  • Observed in locations such as Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, Canada and near Holme-on-Spalding Moor, East.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Bright green to yellow-green leaves.
  • Fruits are rounded, green, and shiny when ripe. In some species it has pale, straw-colored, egg-shaped, beakless fruits.
  • Tufted perennial from a short, upright rootstalk with short, slender stolons.
  • Fertile culms grow to 2-6 cm.
  • Stems are erect, 10-40 cm tall.
  • Leaves are pale green, basal, and lower-cauline, with blades 1-4 mm wide.
  • The inflorescence consists of 2 or 3 well-separated spikes.
  • Some species is long-rhizomatous.

Ecological Role

  • While sedges are generally thought not to form associations with mycorrhizal fungi, recent research has shown that pale sedge may form such relationships.

Further Information

  • Discover Life: Provides information about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Carex pallescens.
  • RHS (Royal Horticultural Society): Offers help and information on Carex pallescens.
  • Botanical Garden - Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Norway: Provides information about Carex pallescens.