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Carex comosa - (image 1 of 5)

Taxonomy

Family: Cyperaceae

Habitat

Pond margins, ditches. Marshes.

Associates

Distribution

Quebec west to MN, south to FL and LA. Also in the west from WA to CA and northern ID.

Morphology

Perennial from a short, stout rhizome to 1 m; stems stout; lowest bracts surpassing and sometimes much longer than the inflorescence. Leaves often septate-nodulose, especially the sheaths, the blade long and flat, to 9 mm wide. Spikelets cylindric, pedunculate, staminate flowers on multiple, terminal spikelets to 6 cm long; pistillate scales with awns longer than the scale blades; stigmas 3. Achenes trigonous; style persistent.

Notes

Flowers late May to June.

Wetland indicator: Obligate

This species is similar to C. hystericina Muhl. ex Willd. and C. pseudocyperus L. With sedges, it is most often necessary to examine living specimens in fruit to get an accurate identification.

References

Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

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