Carex scoparia
Encyclopedia
Carex scoparia is a species of sedge
known by the common names broom sedge and pointed broom sedge. It should not be confused with the unrelated grass
species known as "broom sedge," Andropogon virginicus
.
to Maine
. Carex scoparia can be found in many types of wetland
habitat, and in generally wet places from meadows to irrigation ditches. Also, it is adaptable to varying soils and other hydrologic conditions. It is known as an introduced species
in New Zealand and parts of Europe.
is a cluster or open array of several bullet-shaped spikes of flowers. The spikes are light green and age to tan or brown. The fruit is covered in a sac called a perigynium which is light in color.
Carex
Carex is a genus of plants in the family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges. Other members of the Cyperaceae family are also called sedges, however those of genus Carex may be called "true" sedges, and it is the most species-rich genus in the family. The study of Carex is known as...
known by the common names broom sedge and pointed broom sedge. It should not be confused with the unrelated grass
Andropogon
Andropogon is a genus of grasses. Andropogon gerardii, big bluestem, is the official state grass of Illinois.Broomsedge is found along the eastern United States...
species known as "broom sedge," Andropogon virginicus
Andropogon virginicus
Andropogon virginicus is a species of grass known by several common names, including broomsedge bluestem and yellowsedge bluestem. It is native to the southeastern United States and as far north as the Great Lakes. It is known as an introduced species in California and Hawaii, where it is...
.
Distribution
This sedge is native to much of North America, including the southern half of Canada and most of the continental United States, from CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. Carex scoparia can be found in many types of wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
habitat, and in generally wet places from meadows to irrigation ditches. Also, it is adaptable to varying soils and other hydrologic conditions. It is known as an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
in New Zealand and parts of Europe.
Description
Carex scoparia produces dense clumps of stems 20 centimeters to one meter tall with narrow grasslike leaves up to about 30 centimeters long. The inflorescenceInflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a cluster or open array of several bullet-shaped spikes of flowers. The spikes are light green and age to tan or brown. The fruit is covered in a sac called a perigynium which is light in color.