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beaked sedge
Scientific Name: Carex rostrata
Family: Cyperaceae
Category: Monocot
Growth: Graminoid
Duration: Perennial
Other Names: TN (beaked sedge), WA (beaked sedge)
Beaked Sedge (Various Carex Species)
The term "Beaked Sedge" encompasses several species within the Carex genus, including:
- Carex rostrata: Also known as (glaucous) Beaked Sedge or Bottle Sedge.
- Carex utriculata: Referred to as (common) Beaked Sedge or Northwest Territory Sedge.
- Carex sprengelii: Known as Long-beaked Sedge or Sprengel's Sedge.
- Rhynchospora alba: Known as White Beak-sedge.
- Rhynchospora knieskernii: Known as Knieskern's Beaked-sedge.
Considerations for Pets
- Some species of Beaked sedge have rhizomes which may be of interest to pets.
Considerations for Children
- Some species of Beaked sedge have rhizomes which may be of interest to children.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Family: Cyperaceae (Sedge Family)
- Carex rostrata: The specific epithet "rostrata" comes from the Latin "rostratus," meaning "beaked, hooked, or curved at the end."
- Carex sprengelii: The specific epithet (sprengelii) comes from Kurt Polykarp Joachim Sprengel, 1766-1833, Prussian botanist and physician.
Distribution and Habitat
- Beaked sedges are often found in wetland environments.
- Carex rostrata is a widespread wetland plant, for example it is typically found between 6000 to 10500 feet in elevation in Utah.
- Carex utriculata is native to the Northwest Territory.
- Rhynchospora alba is found in acid bogs.
- Carex sprengelii is native to woodlands.
Growth Characteristics
- Beaked sedges are typically grass-like perennials.
- They are often rhizomatous, meaning they spread via creeping rhizomes.
- Carex rostrata is a large, frost-tolerant, water-obligate, sod-forming sedge.
- Carex sprengelii has long bright green leaves that form a dense clump and grows to be 2'-4' tall. It has long, thin beaks, long culms with pendant spikelets, and fibrous plant bases.
Ecological Role
- Floating mats of beaked sedge and other peatland plants aid survival in fluctuating water levels because they are held together and kept afloat by rootlike stems.
Traditional Uses
- Tribal people, such as the Sami people and the Blackfoot people, living in cold climates where common beaked sedge grows, often stuffed their boots with it.
Quirky Facts
- Carex sprengelii is known for its foliage taking on an attractive chartreuse color in full sun.