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• Carex vestita

Carex vestita — velvet sedge

Facts

Velvet sedge is a colonial sedge with a distribution centered in the mid-atlantic states, but it is also found in New England. It grows in open, sandy areas. Velvet sedge is endangered in Maine, where it reaches the northern limit of its range.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), grassland, meadows and fields, sandplains and barrens, woodlands

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Bumps on fruit

  there are no papillae on the perigynium surface

  Inflorescence length

  30–100 mm

  Length of scale

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

  Lowest spike length

  15–25 mm

  Lowest spike stalk length

  At least 0 mm

  Perigynium beak

  the perigynium has a beak

  Perigynium beak length

  0.9–1.4 mm

  Perigynium beak orientation

  the beak of the perigynium is straight, and in line with the perigynium

  Perigynium beak serrations

  the perigynium beak has 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

  green

  Perigynium cross-section

  • the perigynium is relatively round in cross-section
  • the perigynium is trigonous (triangular) in cross-section

  Perigynium hairs

  the perigynium is hairy

  Perigynium length

  2.8–4.5 mm

  Perigynium nerve number

  10–14

  Perigynium nerve texture

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

  Perigynium nerves lower side

  5–7

  Perigynium nerves upper side

  5–7

  Perigynium orientation

  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 ovate (egg-shaped)

  Perigynium width

  1.3–2.1 mm

  Perigynium winged

  the perigynium has no wings

  Pollen- and seed-producing spikes

  some of the spikes produce perigynia

  Pollen-producing spike length

  20–50 mm

  Pollen-producing spike number

  1–2

  Pollen-producing spike peduncle length

  2–20 mm

  Scale awn

  The carpellate scale does not have an awn (it may have a short point)

  Scale awn texture

  NA

  Scale color

  purple to black

  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
  • 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

  Stigma branching

  the stigmas have three branches

  Top spike

  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 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 smooth, and has no hairs

  Ligule length

  1.2–9 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

  2.2–5.5 mm

  Lowest leaf sheath texture

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

  stem leaf blade width

  2.2–5.5 mm

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island

  Specific habitat

  • grasslands
  • man-made or disturbed habitats
  • meadows or fields
  • sandplains or barrens
  • woodlands

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Plant height

  25–90 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 singly or a few together (they may form diffuse colonies)

Wetland status

Not classified

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae