Carex brunnescens — brownish sedge
![Plant form: Carex brunnescens. ~ By Marilee Lovit. ~ Copyright © 2024 Marilee Lovit. ~ lovitm[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/carex-brunnescens-sphaerostachya-ha-mlovit-b.jpg)
![Inflorescence: Carex brunnescens. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/carex-brunnescens-brunnescens-in-ahaines-a.jpg)
![Inflorescence: Carex brunnescens. ~ By Elizabeth Farnsworth. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/carex-brunnescens-brunnescens-in-efarnsworth.jpg)
![Leaves: Carex brunnescens. ~ By Marilee Lovit. ~ Copyright © 2024 Marilee Lovit. ~ lovitm[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/carex-brunnescens-sphaerostachya-le-mlovit.jpg)
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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enlargeFacts
Brownish sedge is morphologically variable across its distribution. It is considered threatened or endangered in some midwestern states.
Habitat
Alpine or subalpine zones, bogs, fens, forests, mountain summits and plateaus, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)
Characteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- stem leaf blade width
- 0.5–2.5 mm
- Lowest bract sheath
- the lowest bract has no sheath (or a very short sheath up to four millimeters in length)
- Spike on stalk
- the lowest spike on the plant is not borne on 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
- 2–2.5 mm
- Leaf sheath color
- the leaf sheath has no pink, red or purple tinting
- Leaf blade texture
- the leaf blade is smooth and hairless, or rough and sandpapery
- Perigynium beak teeth
-
- the perigynium beak is divided at the top into two teeth
- the perigynium beak is not divided at the tip into two teeth, or the teeth are very tiny
-
Flowers
- Bumps on fruit
- there are no papillae on the perigynium surface
- Inflorescence length
- 15–70 mm
- Length of scale
- the scale is shorter than the perigynium
- Lowest spike stalk length
- 0 mm
- Perigynium beak
- the perigynium has a beak
- Perigynium beak length
- 0.1–0.3 mm
- Perigynium beak orientation
- the beak of the perigynium is straight, and in line with the perigynium
- Perigynium beak serrations
- the perigynium beak has tiny serrations along the edges
- Perigynium beak teeth
-
- the perigynium beak is divided at the top into two teeth
- the perigynium beak is not divided at the tip into two teeth, or the teeth are very tiny
- Perigynium beak teeth length
- At least 0 mm
- Perigynium color
- brown
- Perigynium cross-section
- the perigynium is planoconvex (flat on one surface and rounded on the other) in cross-section
- Perigynium hairs
- the perigynium has no hairs
- Perigynium length
- 2–2.5 mm
- Perigynium nerve texture
- the nerves on the perigynium are raised, even after drying the perigynium
- Perigynium orientation
-
- the perigynia are angled outwards
- the perigynia are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis or adjacent perigynia
- Perigynium puffy
- the achene is tightly enclosed by the perigynium
- 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
- 0.8–1.5 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
- white or translucent
- Scale tip
-
- the carpellate scale tip is acute (has a sharp point)
- the carpellate scale tip is obtuse (has a blunt point)
- Spike on stalk
- the lowest spike on the plant is not borne on a peduncle
- Spike orientation
- the spikes are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis
- Spikes per stem
- 2-15
- Staminate scale tip
-
- the staminate scale tip is acute (has a sharp point)
- the staminate scale tip is obtuse (has a blunt point)
- Stigma branching
- the stigmas have two 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
- 1.25–1.5 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 all produced from the base of the plant
- Leaf blade cross-section
- The leaf blade is folded lengthwise, with one prominent midvien
- Leaf blade length to width ratio
- 200
- Leaf blade texture
- 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 has no pink, red or purple tinting
- Leaf sheath dots
- there are no dots on the leaf sheathes
- Leaf sheath folds
- there are no corrugations on the leaf sheath
- Leaf sheath texture
- the leaf sheath feels smooth, and has no hairs
- Lowest bract sheath
- the lowest bract has no sheath (or a very short sheath up to four millimeters in length)
- Lowest leaf blade width
- 0.5–2.5 mm
- Lowest leaf sheath texture
- the leaf sheath feels smooth (it may have soft hairs)
- stem leaf blade width
- 0.5–2.5 mm
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- alpine or subalpine zones
- bogs
- edges of wetlands
- fens
- forests
- mountain summits and plateaus
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Plant height
- 15–90 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
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
ssp. sphaerostachya
- Massachusetts
- widespread (S-rank: S5)
var. brunnescens
- New Hampshire
- unrankable (S-rank: SU), Ind (code: Ind)
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Carex arcta:
- perigynia ovate in outline, widest near the base, and inflorescence composed of 5-15 spikes that are aggregated together (vs. C. brunnescens, with perigynia elliptic-ovate in outline, widest near the middle, and inflorescence composed of mostly 3-8 spikes where the lowest are usually separate).
- Carex canescens:
- each spike composed of mostly 10-20 closely ascending perigynia (vs. C. brunnescens, with each spike composed of mostly 5-10 loosely ascending perigynia).
Family
Genus
Notes on subspecies and varieties in New England
Carex brunnescens var. brunnescens (Pers.) Poir. is known from ME, NH, VT, usually at high altitude.C. brunnescens var. sphaerostachya (Tuckerman) Kükenth. is known from CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT in a variety of plant communities.
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
69. Carex brunnescens (Pers.) Poir. N
brownish sedge. 69a. Carex canescens L. var. alpicola Wahlenb.; 69b. Carex brunnescens ssp. sphaerostachya (Tuckerman) Kalela; C. canescens L. var. sphaerostachya Tuckerman • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Hydric or seasonally hydric soils of wetland edges, peatlands, and evergreen forests, also ascending high into the mountains and then often associated with disturbed soil.
1a. Leaf blades (1–) 1.5–2.5 mm wide; reproductive stems usually erect (less commonly ascending or arching), usually 15–60 cm tall; uppermost spike without or with an obscure, slender, staminate base … 69a. C. brunnescens var. brunnescens
1b. Leaf blades (0.5–) 1–1.5 mm wide; reproductive stems ascending to arching, usually 30–90 cm tall; uppermost spike often with a short, but evident, slender, staminate base … 69b. C. brunnescens var. sphaerostachya (Tuckerman) Kükenth.
Variety brunnescens is known from ME, NH, VT, usually high in the mountains, sometimes even near treeline. It frequently grows along trail edges and other disturbed places. It has also been reported from CT, MA, RI by Toivonen (2002), but specimens are unknown. Variety sphaerostachya is known from CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. It occurs over a wider range of plant communities.