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valley sedge
Scientific Name: Carex vallicola
Family: Cyperaceae
Category: Monocot
Growth: Graminoid
Duration: Perennial
Other Names: WA (valley sedge)
Carex barbarae and Carex vallicola: A Closer Look at Valley Sedges
This page provides information about two species of sedge, Carex barbarae and Carex vallicola, both often referred to as "valley sedge."
Scientific and Common Names
- Carex barbarae: Commonly known as Santa Barbara sedge.
- Carex vallicola: Commonly known as valley sedge.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Family: Cyperaceae (Sedge family)
Distribution and Habitat
- Carex barbarae is native to California and Oregon, where it thrives in wet environments.
- Carex vallicola is native to western North America, ranging from British Columbia to New Mexico.
- Carex aboriginum (Indian Valley sedge) is endemic to a very narrow area of collected in 1899 in Indian Valley, east of Cambridge in Adams County, Idaho.
Morphological Characteristics
- Carex vulpinoidia (Fox Sedge) is a perennial herb with a thickened root stalk that can reach 1 meter (3 feet) in height.
- Some sedges grow in tussocks, forming dense clumps.
Ecological Role
- Sedges, including remote sedge, are found in wetter spots and valley bogs, often alongside other plants like alder and various wetland species.
- Sedge communities can influence the water storage capacity of natural river valleys.
- Sedges, rushes, and grasses are often grouped together, although there are ways to distinguish between them.
Quirky Facts
- In Yellowstone National Park, Sedge Bay is suggested as an alternative wildlife viewing location to the more commonly known Lamar Valley.
Further Information
- USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
- Discover Life offers information about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Carex vallicola.