Sedges

The family Cyperaceae refers to the sedges and their allies, characterized as grass-like plants with solid, usually triangular stems, narrow leaves in three ranks, and inconspicuous flowers in spikelets. By far the largest genus in the family is Carex, housing eighty species of true sedges. Sedges can often look rather like grasses and rushes but, amongst other things, lack the hollow stems of grasses and the six tepals of rushes. 

Aside from Carex, the family contains 36 species of allies including the cotton-grasses Eriophorum, club-rushes in the families Scirpus, Isolepis, Schoenoplectus and Bolboschoenus, the spike-rushes Eleocharis and the galingales in Cyperus, as well as several others. Mostly these are plants of damp or aquatic habitats, though some species occur in drier habitats too.

The lovely Russet Sedge Carex saxatilis, found here in a mire halfway up Ben Lawers

Identification to species is generally regarded as being somewhat difficult, and is often heavily reliant upon close examination of small features in the flowering structures and/or the resultant fruiting bodies. They do hybridise, often extensively, and I fully expect a season of hardships and frustration interspersed with occasional joy as I attempt to get to grips with this ecologically important family of plants. I think I need to invest in an ultra-light folding chair, I foresee lengthy identification attempts ahead of me and I don't intend to squat in a bog for hours at a time.

Greater Tussock-sedge Carex paniculata, or gorillas in ghillie suits?

There are a lot of species in this family that I have yet to see, and I am very much looking forward to visiting many of the sites and habitats they call home. Some live in high montane flushes and mires, others in lowland bogs, yet others along riverbanks, streams and even on shorelines. I'm anticipating some fabulous adventures ahead of me!

Species available (lifers in red) with a hyperlink to the relevant blog page alongside

Common Cottongrass	Eriophorum angustifolium
Broad-leaved Cottongrass	Eriophorum latifolium
Slender Cottongrass	Eriophorum gracile
Hare's-tail Cottongrass	Eriophorum vaginatum
Northern Deergrass	Trichophorum caespitosum
Deergrass	Trichophorum germanicum
Sea Club-rush	Bolboschoenus maritimus
Inland Club-rush	Bolboschoenus laticarpus
Wood Club-rush	Scirpus sylvaticus
Common Club-rush	Schoenoplectus lacustris
Grey Club-rush	Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani
Triangular Club-rush	Schoenoplectus triqueter
Sharp Club-rush	Schoenoplectus pungens
Common Spike-rush	Eleocharis palustris
Northern Spike-rush	Eleocharis mamillata
Slender Spike-rush	Eleocharis uniglumis
Many-stalked Spike-rush	Eleocharis multicaulis
Few-flowered Spike-rush	Eleocharis quinqueflora
Needle Spike-rush	Eleocharis acicularis
Dwarf Spike-rush	Eleocharis parvula
Round-headed Club-rush	Scirpoides holoschoenus
Bristle Club-rush	Isolepis setacea
Slender Club-rush	Isolepis cernua
Floating Club-rush	Eleogiton fluitans
Galingale	Cyperus longus
Pale Galingale	Cyperus eragrostis
Brown Galingale	Cyperus fuscus
Umbrella-sedge	Cyperus involucratus
Giant Umbrella-sedge	Cyperus ustulatus
Flat-sedge	Blysmus compressus
Saltmarsh Flat-sedge	Blysmus rufus
Black Bog-rush	Schoenus nigricans
Brown Bog-rush	Schoenus ferrugineus
Great Fen-sedge	Cladium mariscus
White Beak-sedge	Rhynchospora alba
Brown Beak-sedge	Rhynchospora fusca
Greater Tussock-sedge	Carex paniculata
Fibrous Tussock-sedge	Carex appropinquata
Lesser Tussock-sedge	Carex diandra
True Fox-sedge	Carex vulpina
False Fox-sedge	Carex otrubae
American Fox-sedge	Carex vulpinoidea
Spiked Sedge	Carex spicata
Prickly Sedge	Carex muricata
Grey Sedge	Carex divulsa
Sand Sedge	Carex arenaria
Brown Sedge	Carex disticha
String Sedge	Carex chordorrhiza
Divided Sedge	Carex divisa
Curved Sedge	Carex maritima
Remote Sedge	Carex remota
Oval Sedge	Carex leporina
Star Sedge	Carex echinata
Dioecious Sedge	Carex dioica
Elongated Sedge	Carex elongata
Hare's-foot Sedge	Carex lachenalii
White Sedge	Carex canescens
Hairy Sedge	Carex hirta
Slender Sedge	Carex lasiocarpa
Lesser Pond-sedge	Carex acutiformis
Greater Pond-sedge	Carex riparia
Cyperus Sedge	Carex pseudocyperus
Bottle Sedge	Carex rostrata
Bladder-sedge	Carex vesicaria
Mountain Bladder-sedge	Carex x grahamii
Russet Sedge	Carex saxatilis
Pendulous Sedge	Carex pendula
Wood-sedge	Carex sylvatica
Hair Sedge	Carex capillaris
Thin-spiked Wood-sedge	Carex strigosa
Glaucous Sedge	Carex flacca
Carnation Sedge	Carex panicea
Sheathed Sedge	Carex vaginata
Starved Wood-sedge	Carex depauperata
Smooth-stalked Sedge	Carex laevigata
Green-ribbed Sedge	Carex binervis
Distant Sedge	Carex distans
Dotted Sedge	Carex punctata
Long-bracted Sedge	Carex extensa
Tawny Sedge	Carex hostiana
Large Yellow-sedge	Carex flava
Long-stalked Yellow-sedge	Carex lepidocarpa
Common Yellow-sedge	Carex demissa
Small-fruited Yellow-sedge	Carex viridula
Pale Sedge	Carex pallescens
Fingered Sedge	Carex digitata
Bird's-foot Sedge	Carex ornithopoda
Dwarf Sedge	Carex humilis
Spring-sedge	Carex caryophyllea
Downy-fruited Sedge	Carex filiformis
Rare Spring-sedge	Carex ericetorum
Soft-leaved Sedge	Carex montana
Pill Sedge	Carex pilulifera
Scorched Alpine-sedge	Carex atrofusca
Bog-sedge	Carex limosa
Mountain Bog-sedge	Carex rariflora
Tall Bog-sedge	Carex magellanica
Black Alpine-sedge	Carex atrata
Club Sedge	Carex buxbaumii
Close-headed Alpine-sedge	Carex norvegica
Estuarine Sedge	Carex recta
Saltmarsh Sedge	Carex salina
Water Sedge	Carex aquatilis
Slender Tufted-sedge	Carex acuta
Common Sedge	Carex nigra
Tufted-sedge	Carex elata
Scarce Tufted-sedge	Carex cespitosa
Stiff Sedge	Carex bigelowii
Silver-spiked Sedge	Carex buchananii
New Zealand Hair-sedge	Carex comans
Bristle Sedge	Carex microglochin
Few-flowered Sedge	Carex pauciflora
Rock Sedge	Carex rupestris
Flea Sedge	Carex pulicaris
False Sedge	Carex simpliciuscula
Hook Sedge	Uncinia uncinata