• You are here:
• Dichotomous Key
• Cyperaceae
• Carex
• Carex Group 1
• Section Divisae
• Carex praegracilis

Carex praegracilis — clustered field sedge, freeway sedge

Facts

Found in Maine and Vermont, freeway sedge is so named because it colonizes roadsides and median strips, especially where the road is heavily salted in winter. This species is native to North America but not to New England, where it has invaded after increasing greatly in abundance and expanding its range due to highway salting.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats)

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Anther length

  1.8–3.9 mm

  Bumps on fruit

  there are no papillae on the perigynium surface

  Inflorescence length

  9–40 mm

  Length of scale

  the scale is nearly as long as, or longer than, the perigynium

  Lowest spike stalk length

  0 mm

  Perigynium beak

  the perigynium has a beak

  Perigynium beak length

  0.7–1.2 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 not divided at the tip into two teeth, or the teeth are very tiny

  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

  2.2–3.7 mm

  Perigynium nerve texture

  the nerves on the perigynium are raised, even after drying the perigynium

  Perigynium nerves upper side

  At least 0

  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 ovate (egg-shaped)

  Perigynium width

  1.2–1.9 mm

  Perigynium winged

  the perigynium has no wings

  Pollen- and seed-producing spikes

  • all the spikes produce only pollen
  • some of the spikes produce perigynia

  Pollen-producing spike number

  0–1

  Scale awn

  • The carpellate scale does not have an awn (it may have a short point)
  • the carpellate scale has an awn on it

  Scale color

  • red-brown
  • tan

  Scale tip

  • the carpellate scale tip is acuminate (tapered to a narrow point)
  • the carpellate scale tip is acute (has a sharp 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
  • more than 15

  Stigma branching

  the stigmas have two branches

  Top spike

  • entirely carpellate
  • the uppermost spike contains both staminate and carpellate flowers, with the carpellate flowers located below, or intermixed with, the staminate flowers
  • the uppermost spike contains only staminate 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 long rhizomes present

• 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 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

  Ligule length

  0.6–2.6 mm

  Lowest bract sheath

  the lowest bract has no sheath (or a very short sheath up to four millimeters in length)

  Lowest leaf blade width

  1–3.5 mm

  Lowest leaf sheath texture

  the leaf sheath feels smooth (it may have soft hairs)

  stem leaf blade width

  1–3.5 mm

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  • Maine
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  man-made or disturbed habitats

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Plant height

  10–100 cm

  Relative stem height

  • the main stem is equal to or shorter than the leaves
  • 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 singly or a few together (they may form diffuse colonies)

Wetland status

Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae