Carex media — closed-headed sedge
![Inflorescence: Carex media. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/carex-media-in-ahaines.jpg)
![Leaves: Carex media. ~ By William and Linda Steere and the C.V. Starr Virtual Herbarium. ~ Copyright © 2024 William and Linda Steere and the C.V. Starr Virtual Herbarium. ~ Barbara Thiers, Director; bthiers[at]nybg.org ~ C.V. Starr Herbarium - NY Botanical Gardens](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/carex-media-le-cvstarr1.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
Within New England there is currently only one site known for closed-headed sedge, located in northwestern Maine. However, the species has a circumboreal distribution and is more common in northern and western North America.
Habitat
Alpine or subalpine zones, cliffs, balds, or ledges
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Maine
- stem leaf blade width
- 2–4 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 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
- 2.5–3.5 mm
- Leaf sheath color
- the leaf sheath is tinted pink, red or purple
- 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
-
Flowers
- Bumps on fruit
-
- the perigynium surface has papillae on it
- there are no papillae on the perigynium surface
- Length of scale
- the scale is shorter than the perigynium
- Lowest spike length
- 5–12 mm
- Lowest spike stalk length
- Up to 10 mm
- Lowest spike width
- 3–6 mm
- Perigynium beak
- the perigynium has a beak
- Perigynium beak length
- 0.3–0.4 mm
- Perigynium beak orientation
- the beak of the perigynium is straight, and in line with the perigynium
- Perigynium beak serrations
-
- the perigynium beak has no serrations
- the perigynium beak has tiny serrations along the edges
- Perigynium beak teeth
- the perigynium beak is divided at the top into two teeth
- Perigynium beak teeth length
- Up to 0.5 mm
- Perigynium color
-
- brown
- green
- yellow
- Perigynium cross-section
- the perigynium is relatively round in cross-section
- Perigynium hairs
- the perigynium has no hairs
- Perigynium length
- 2.5–3.5 mm
- Perigynium nerve number
- At least 0
- Perigynium nerve texture
- NA
- Perigynium nerves lower side
- At least 0
- Perigynium nerves upper side
- At least 0
- Perigynium orientation
-
- the perigynia are angled outwards
- the perigynia are curved or bent downwards or backwards along the axis
- 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 ovate (egg-shaped)
- 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
-
- brown
- purple to black
- Scale tip
- the carpellate scale tip is acute (has a sharp point)
- Spike on stalk
- the lowest spike on the plant has a peduncle
- Spike orientation
- the spikes are oriented vertically or pressed against the axis
- Spikes per stem
- 2-15
- 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
- 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 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 is tinted pink, red or purple
- 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
- 2–4 mm
- Lowest leaf sheath texture
- the leaf sheath feels smooth (it may have soft hairs)
- stem leaf blade width
- 2–4 mm
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Maine
- Specific habitat
-
- alpine or subalpine zones
- cliffs, balds, or ledges
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Plant height
- 15–70 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
- absent
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
Synonyms
- Carex alpina Liljeblad var. inferalpina Wahlenb.
- Carex norvegica Retz. var. inferalpina (Wahlenb.) Hultén
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
164. Carex media R. Br. NC
closed-headed sedge. Carex alpina Liljeblad var. inferalpina Wahlenb.; C. norvegica Retz. var. inferalpina (Wahlenb.) Hultén • ME; single station known in northwestern portion of state. High-pH cliffs in boreal settings.