FIELD ID CHARACTERISTICS:
All Carex spp. have "v" shaped leaf blades with distinctive keels. All sedges also have triangular flowering stems (in cross-section). Identification to species requires mature fruits and seeds (achenes).
Description: A medium to small, sparse, grass-like sedge usually 0.3 to 0.8 m tall. Stems solid and triangular.
Leaves: Fine leaves with distinct linear indent, or keel, at midrib.
Flowers/Fruit: Seedheads with few large perigynia. Inflorescence contains male and female flowers crowded in separate cylindrical clusters on the same plant. All Carex species share the feature of seeds (achenes) being completely encompassed by an outer covering (perigynium). Flowers and fruits May through July.
Habit and Range: Bottomlands, seeps, bogs, beaver pond margins; common statewide.
COMMON CONFUSIONS:
Carex intumescens (greater bladder sedge) is similar to the less common Carex grayi (Gray's sedge), which has downward-pointing perigynia, often finely haired and usually greater in number (8 to 35). Overall seedhead is spherical in Carex grayi, versus more ovoid in shape in Carex intumescens.
Link to side-by-side comparisons page
