Carex vernacula
Encyclopedia
Carex vernacula is a species of sedge
known by the common name native sedge.
, where it grows in moist mountain habitat in alpine climate
s and higher subalpine
elevations. It often arises in cold pools of snowmelt
.
networks. The inflorescence
is a dense, tangled clump of flower spikes. The fruit is coated in a green-edged brown perigynium.
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 name native sedge.
Distribution
This sedge is native to the western United StatesWestern United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
, where it grows in moist mountain habitat in alpine climate
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
s and higher subalpine
Subalpine
The subalpine zone is the biotic zone immediately below tree line around the world. Species that occur in this zone depend on the location of the zone on the Earth, for example, Snow Gum in Australia, or Subalpine Larch, Mountain Hemlock and Subalpine Fir in western North America.Trees in the...
elevations. It often arises in cold pools of snowmelt
Snowmelt
In hydrology, snowmelt is surface runoff produced from melting snow. It can also be used to describe the period or season during which such runoff is produced. Water produced by snowmelt is an important part of the annual water cycle in many parts of the world, in some cases contributing high...
.
Description
Carex vernacula produces clumps of erect stems 30 to 40 centimeters in maximum height, and sometimes forms colonies connected by rhizomeRhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
networks. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
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 dense, tangled clump of flower spikes. The fruit is coated in a green-edged brown perigynium.