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Native Plant Trust: Go Botany Discover thousands of New England plants

Carex aestivalis — summer sedge

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Facts

Summer sedge is a species of deciduous forests that is found primarily in southern New England. It may rarely hybridize with graceful sedge (Carex gracillima).

Habitat

Forests

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Vermont
stem leaf blade width
1.5–3 mm
Lowest bract sheath
the lowest bract has a sheath longer than four millimeters
Spike on stalk
the lowest spike on the plant has a peduncle
Top spike
the uppermost spike contains both staminate and carpellate flowers, with the staminate flowers located below the carpellate flowers
Perigynium hairs
the perigynium has no hairs
Perigynium length
2–3.2 mm
Leaf sheath color
the leaf sheath is tinted pink, red or purple
Leaf blade texture
  • the leaf blade is hairy
  • the leaf blade is smooth and hairless, or rough and sandpapery
Perigynium beak teeth
NA
Show all characteristics

  • Flowers

    Bumps on fruit
    there are no papillae on the perigynium surface
    Distance between perigynia
    1–3 mm
    Length of scale
    the scale is shorter than the perigynium
    Lowest spike length
    15–50 mm
    Lowest spike stalk length
    5–25 mm
    Lowest spike width
    3–3.5 mm
    Perigynium beak
    the perigynium has no beak, or an extremely short beak
    Perigynium beak length
    0 mm
    Perigynium beak orientation
    NA
    Perigynium beak serrations
    NA
    Perigynium beak teeth
    NA
    Perigynium beak teeth length
    0 mm
    Perigynium color
    • brown
    • green
    Perigynium cross-section
    • the perigynium is relatively round in cross-section
    • the perigynium is trigonous (triangular) in cross-section
    Perigynium hairs
    the perigynium has no hairs
    Perigynium length
    2–3.2 mm
    Perigynium nerve number
    14–17
    Perigynium nerve texture
    the nerves on the perigynium are raised, even after drying the perigynium
    Perigynium nerves lower side
    7–8
    Perigynium nerves upper side
    7–8
    Perigynium orientation
    the perigynia are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis or adjacent perigynia
    Perigynium puffy
    the perigynium is inflated (there is space between the perigynium and the achene)
    Perigynium shape
    • the perigynium body is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
    • the perigynium body is ovate (egg-shaped)
    Perigynium width
    0.8–1 mm
    Perigynium winged
    the perigynium has no wings
    Pollen- and seed-producing spikes
    some of the spikes produce perigynia
    Pollen-producing spike length
    0 mm
    Pollen-producing spike number
    0
    Pollen-producing spike peduncle length
    0 mm
    Pollen-producing spike width
    0 mm
    Scale awn
    The carpellate scale does not have an awn (it may have a short point)
    Scale awn texture
    NA
    Scale color
    • green
    • red-brown
    • white or translucent
    Scale length
    2.6–3.5 mm
    Scale tip
    the carpellate scale tip is obtuse (has a blunt point)
    Spike on stalk
    the lowest spike on the plant has a peduncle
    Spike orientation
    • the spikes are angled outwards, or arched over
    • the spikes are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis
    Spikes per stem
    2-15
    Stigma branching
    the stigmas have three branches
    Top spike
    the uppermost spike contains both staminate and carpellate flowers, with the staminate flowers located below the carpellate flowers

  • Fruits or seeds

    Achene dimples
    the achene has no folds or dimples
    Achene length
    1.8–2.1 mm
    Achene width
    0.8–1 mm
    Style persistence
    the style falls off the mature achenes

  • Growth form

    Rhizomes
    there are no rhizomes, or the rhizomes are very short

  • Leaves

    Leaf arrangement
    the leaves are mostly produced higher up on the plant
    Leaf blade cross-section
    the leaf blade is flat or M-shaped, with two prominent side-veins
    Leaf blade texture
    • the leaf blade is hairy
    • the leaf blade is smooth and hairless, or rough and sandpapery
    Leaf bumps
    the upper surface of the leaf blade does not have papillae
    Leaf sheath bumps
    there are no papillae at the top edge of the leaf sheath
    Leaf sheath color
    the leaf sheath is tinted pink, red or purple
    Leaf sheath dots
    there are red dots on the translucent tissues of the leaf sheathes
    Leaf sheath folds
    there are no corrugations on the leaf sheath
    Leaf sheath texture
    the leaf sheath feels rough, or has hairs
    Lowest bract sheath
    the lowest bract has a sheath longer than four millimeters
    Lowest leaf blade width
    1.5–3 mm
    Lowest leaf sheath texture
    the leaf sheath feels smooth (it may have soft hairs)
    stem leaf blade width
    1.5–3 mm

  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    forests

  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Plant height
    25–60 cm
    Relative stem height
    the main stem is taller than the leaves
    Stem cross-section
    the main stem is roughly triangular in cross-section
    Stem spacing
    the stems grow close together in compact clusters or tufts

Wetland status

Not classified

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
absent
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
absent
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Connecticut
rare (S-rank: S2), special concern (code: SC)
Massachusetts
rare to uncommon (S-rank: S2S3)
New Hampshire
extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
Vermont
uncommon (S-rank: S3)

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

86.  Carex aestivalis M.A. Curtis ex Gray N

summer sedge. CT, MA, NH, VT. Dry-mesic to mesic, often rocky, deciduous forests.

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Carex gracillima:
leaves with glabrous sheaths and blades 3-9 mm wide (vs. C. aestivalis, with leaves with pubescent sheaths and blades 1.5-3 mm wide).

Family

Cyperaceae

Genus

Carex