Carex trichocarpa — hairy-fruited sedge
![Perigynia: Carex trichocarpa. ~ By Gordon Morrison. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/carex-trichocarpa-pe-gmorrison.jpg)
![Inflorescence: Carex trichocarpa. ~ By John Hilty. ~ Copyright © 2024 John Hilty. ~ john[at]illinoiswildflowers.info ~ Illinois Wildflowers - www.illinoiswildflowers.info/index.htm](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/carex-trichocarpa-in-jhilty.jpg)
![Leaves: Carex trichocarpa. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/carex-trichocarpa-le-ahaines.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
Hairy-fruited sedge is a large wetland sedge, usually of high-pH areas. Rare through most of its range, it is listed in each of the New England states where it occurs. The leaf blades are glabrous but the perigynia are hairy and terminated by two long teeth.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), floodplain (river or stream floodplains), marshes, meadows and fields, shores of rivers or lakes
Characteristics
- Habitat
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- stem leaf blade width
- 2.5–8.8 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
- the uppermost spike contains only staminate flowers
- Perigynium hairs
- the perigynium is hairy
- Perigynium length
- 5.3–11.5 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
- there are no papillae on the perigynium surface
- Inflorescence length
- 130–600 mm
- Length of scale
- the scale is shorter than the perigynium
- Perigynium beak
- the perigynium has a beak
- Perigynium beak length
- 2.1–4.4 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
- Perigynium beak teeth
- the perigynium beak is divided at the top into two teeth
- Perigynium beak teeth length
- 1–2.8 mm
- Perigynium color
-
- orange to orange-brown
- tan
- Perigynium cross-section
- the perigynium is relatively round in cross-section
- Perigynium hairs
- the perigynium is hairy
- Perigynium length
- 5.3–11.5 mm
- Perigynium nerve number
- 12–22
- Perigynium nerve texture
- the nerves on the perigynium are raised, even after drying the perigynium
- Perigynium nerves lower side
- 6–11
- Perigynium nerves upper side
- 6–11
- 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
- 1.7–3.9 mm
- Perigynium winged
- the perigynium has no wings
- Pollen- and seed-producing spikes
- some of the spikes produce perigynia
- Pollen-producing spike number
- 1–8
- Scale awn
- the carpellate scale has an awn on it
- Scale awn texture
- the carpellate scale awn has tiny teeth
- Scale color
-
- brown
- green
- 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 has 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 acuminate (tapered to a narrow point)
- 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 three branches
- Top spike
-
- the uppermost spike contains both staminate and carpellate flowers, with the staminate flowers located below the carpellate flowers
- the uppermost spike contains only staminate flowers
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene dimples
- the achene has no folds or dimples
- Style persistence
- the style stays on the mature achenes
-
Growth form
- Rhizomes
- there are long rhizomes present
-
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 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
- Ligule length
- 3–12.5 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
- 2.5–8.8 mm
- Lowest leaf sheath texture
- the leaf sheath feels smooth (it may have soft hairs)
- stem leaf blade width
- 2.5–8.8 mm
-
Place
- Habitat
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- marshes
- meadows or fields
- river or stream floodplains
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Plant height
- 40–120 cm
- Relative stem height
- the main stem is equal to or shorter 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
Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)
New England distribution and conservation status
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
- uncommon (S-rank: S3), special concern (code: SC)
- Massachusetts
- rare to uncommon (S-rank: S2S3), special concern (code: SC)
- New Hampshire
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Vermont
- uncommon (S-rank: S3)
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Carex hirta:
- leaf sheaths and blades pubescent and staminate and often carpellate scales pubescent (vs. C. trichocarpa, with leaf sheaths and blades glabrous and floral scales glabrous).
- Carex atherodes:
- perigynia glabrous and leaf blades minutely papillose on the abaxial surface (vs. C. trichocarpa, with perigynia pubescent and leaf blades not minutely papillose).
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
20. Carex trichocarpa Muhl. ex Willd. NC
hairy-fruited sedge. CT, MA, NH, VT. Wet meadows, ditches, lake shores, riverside marshes and fields, usually in high-pH bedrock regions.