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Inflorescences of woodland sedge occur as a terminal staminate (male) spike 6-12 mm long and 2-4 ovoid pistillate (female) spikelets 10-20 mm long and 5 mm wide that are lower on the culm. The proximal urn-shaped structures on the inflorescence (and in the inset) with the two fuzzy filaments are the pistillate spikelets; the distal structures with the terminal yellow rods in the image are the staminate spikelets. (Cylindrical clusters of florets are called spikes; ovoid clusters are termed spikelets. Individual sedge flowers — a perigynium or utricle — are usually ovoid, with either 2-3 feathery stigmas or three stamens with anthers sticking out of one end. Bisexual flowers do not occur in sedges.)

Carex

Carex blanda

woodland sedge [Blooms: Apr-May]

Capitate sedge grows 1-2' tall in dense colonies. Each culm (= stem) is triangular in cross section and has an inflorescence about 1.5 cm. long and 1.0 cm. across at its tip. At the base of the inflorescence is a thin leaf (bract) up to 1.5 cm. long. The inflorescence looks like a collection of 5-8 spikey, tightly-clustered tapering stacks (spikelets) of flattened, oval structures sharply pointed at their distal end (the perigynia or florets). Each spikelet measures about 5x5 mm; it contains the actual (highly modified) florets. The male (staminate) florets are located toward the apex of each spikelet (see inflorescence at far left in the image), while the female (pistillate) florets are lower in the spikelet. (Cylindrical clusters of florets are called spikes; ovoid clusters are termed spikelets. Individual sedge flowers — a perigynium or utricle — are usually ovoid, with either 2-3 feathery stigmas or 3 stamens with anthers sticking out of one end. Bisexual flowers do not occur in sedges.)

Carex

Carex cephalophora

capitate sedge [Blooms: May-Jun]

Bottlebrush sedge's fertile stems bear a single, terminal staminate (male) spike up to 3" long and 2-6 pistillate (female) spikes (shown here), each 5-6 cm long and 1.5 cm across. The cylindrical pistillate spikes are comprised of densely packed, female perigynia (florets) radiating from the center of the cylinder.

Carex

Carex comosa

bottlebrush sedge [Blooms: May-Jun]

Gray's sedge is the most easily identifiable sedge in Jackson Park — the large, pistillate (female) spikelet (reminiscent of the head of a medieval mace) is unmistakable. Fertile culms of Gray's sedge may reach up to 3' tall, but most plants don't exceed 2.5'. The culms are triangular in section ("three-angled"), light green and unbranched, with a few alternate, dark green leaves (each 5-14" long and 4-10 mm wide) along its length. The leaves have a deep groove along their midline and, usually, secondary folds on either side, producing a V- or W-shaped cross section in the leaves. Fertile culms produce an Inflorescence at their apex consisting of one or more globoid (mace-like) pistillate spikelets (1-1.5' diameter spiky clusters of perigynia that radiate in all directions) and a single staminate spikelet up to 2.5" long and 1-4 mm wide. Each pistillate spikelet has a 3-10" long leaf at its base. Each perigynum in the pistillate spikelets is quite large (12-18 mm long, 4-8 mm wide), an elongate teardrop (lanceolate) shape, with stigmas emerging from the pointed end. The staminate spikelet is at the tip of the culm on the end of a short pedicle, usually yellow-brown in color. The male and female spikelets are labeled; the long, tan-colored anthers (male) and white stigmas (female) are clearly visible in this image.

Carex

Carex grayi

Gray's sedge [Blooms: May-Jul]

Fertile culms of wood gray sedge produce a terminal inflorescence 6-8" long bearing 2-4 pistillate (female) spikelets and a single staminate (male) spikelet 3/4" long attached beside the topmost pistillate spikelet. Pistillate spikelets are 1-1.5" long and 5 mm across on 3.5 cm long pedicels with a 3-6" long, leaflike bract at their base; there are 5-15 female perigynia in each pistillate spikelet. The perigynia are 4-5.5 mm long, smooth ovoids that are quite inflated, tapering to a blunt tip and base, with easily visible lines ("nerves" - see insert) that run from one end of the perigynum to the other. At the base of each perigynium is a pistillate scale about the same length as the perigynium, narrowing drastically at the free end to a sharp needle ("awn" - see insert). Immature perigynia are green, turning brown with maturity. Wood gray sedge can't be confused with any other sedge that occurs in Jackson Park.

Carex

Carex grisea

wood gray sedge [Blooms: May-Jun]

Fertile culms of porcupine sedge produce an inflorescence at their tips with a single, terminal staminate spikelet and 2-4 pistillate spikelets below balancing on or hanging from thin pedicels. The staminate spikelet is paralleled along its length by a bristly bract; both are up to 2" long. Pistillate spikelets are 0.75-2.5" long and 1/2" across, roughly cylindrical in outline, and packed with widely spreading, inflated perigynia 5-8 mm long and about 2 mm across whose sharp tips give rise to the common name; at their base, the perigynia have a leaf-like bract 4-6" long and 3-4 mm across. The lowest pistillate spikelet has the longest (up to 12") bract. Porcupine sedge is commonly found near the shorelines around the Jackson Park lagoons. Of all the Jackson Park sedges, porcupine sedge is most similar to cyperus sedge (C. pseudocyperus) but has stubbier pistillate spikelets.

Carex

Carex hystericina

porcupine sedge [Blooms: May-Jul]

Troublesome sedge is superficially similar to crested sedge (C. cristatella) but with fewer, less spiky spikelets, and with perigynia less crowded. Two to five (rarely six) spikelets are crowded along an inflorescence at the tip of the culm, each 6-15 mm long and 5-10 mm wide. The perigynia are rounded at tip and base, tapering distally to a blunt point, each with a darker green, winged margin and a lighter center. Staminate (male) perigynia are relatively few and located at the base of the spikelets; most of the perigynia are pistillate (female). At the base of the lowermost spikelet is a thin, bristle-like, usually short bract. The left side of the image shows a young inflorescence; the right side shows a mature inflorescence post-fertilization.

Carex

Carex molesta

troublesome sedge [Blooms: May-Jun]

Sand sedge (Carex muehlenbergii) is a native sedge found throughout the eastern U.S. that grows to 1-2.75 feet tall; it is listed as "vulnerable" in Illinois. The plant consists of several low leaves and a light green culm that is triangular in section ("3-angled"). The leaves are alternate and restricted to the lower quarter to lower third of the culm. The apex of the culms supports an inflorescence 1/2-1.5" long and about 1/2" across consisting of 4-10 overlapping or slightly separated spikelets; at the base of the inflorescence is a 3/4-1" long, slender leafy bract. A spikelet may have either a few male florets at its apex and the perigynia of both male and female florets below or it may consist entirely of female perigynia. Each spikelet is a cluster of 6-16 ascending or widely spreading light green to yellowish brown perigynia, each 3-4 mm long and 2-3 mm wide. The perigynia are oval in profile but flat to convex on one side, tapering to a short beak that ends in two tiny teeth. Each female floret bears a pair of yellowish- to reddish-brown stigmas. The florets are wind pollinated. After fertilization, the perigynia drop off the spikelets and are dispersed by the wind.

Carex

Carex muehlenbergii

sand sedge [Blooms: Apr-May]

Palm sedge fertile culms tend to have fewer leaves (5-10) restricted to the lower half of the culm while infertile culms produce more leaves (8-12+) along their entire length. Fertile culms generate a narrow (5-9 cm long, 1 cm across) inflorescence at their tips bearing 5-12 partially overlapping, stalkless spikelets. Spikelets are 2 cm long, 3-4 mm across prolate spheroids (spindle-shaped); staminate (male) florets are restricted to approximately the bottom quarter of the spikelet while pistillate (female) florets cover the rest of the spikelet. Each spikelet rests on a scale-like bract, only obvious on the lowest spikelet. Perigynia are very large compared to most sedges — 6-8 mm long and about 2 mm across; protruding from the tips of the perigynia are either slender, white styles or pale yellow or white, cylindrical anthers.

Carex

Carex muskingumensis

palm sedge [Blooms: Jun-Jul]

Fertile culms produce a 4-12" long inflorescence at their tip whose central stalk (rachis) is also triangular. Near the tip of the rachis are 1-3 pistillate (male) spikelets 1/2-1.25" long, light green, turning brown with maturity. Below are 2-3 pistillate (female) spikelets each with a leaf-like bract immediately below; the bracts increase in size beneath lower pistillate spikes. The staminate spikelets are usually about 1-3" above the pistillate spikelets, but occasionally appear to grow out of a pistillate spikelet (right). Pistillate spikelets (left) are cylindrical, up to 1.5" long, densely packed with quite hairy, chubby-triangular, perigynia (each 2.5-4" long and about half as wide), and their accompanying bristly bracts. The plants are wind pollinated. Wooly sedge is unusual in its very hairy perigynia; no other Jackson Park sedge has this character.

Carex

Carex pellita

woolly sedge [Blooms: Apr-May]

Fertile culms of Pennsylvania sedge produce an apical inflorescence with a single terminal staminate spikelet 1-2.5 cm long above 1-3 smaller pistillate spikelets and their bracts, all purplish-brown at blooming. Staminate spikelets produce prominent creamy-yellow anthers; pistillate spikelets consist of 4-12 perigynia about 3 mm long and 1.5 mm across, each with 3 white, thread-like styles and a basal, scale-like bract shorter than the spikelet. The lowest pistillate spike bears a basal leaf-like bract usually longer than the spikelet. Florets are wind pollinated.

Carex

Carex pensylvanica

Pennsylvania sedge [Blooms: Apr]

Cyperus sedge's fertile culms develop an inflorescence at their tips 1.5-6" long consisting of a single staminate spikelet up to 3" long and 2-6 pistillate spikelets 3" long and 9-12 mm across. The pistillate spikelets are initially erect but later droop (especially the lowest pistillate spike, which has the longest pedicle). At the base of each pistillate spike's pedicle is a leaf-like bract up to 20" long. Perigynia of the pistillate spikes are oriented perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical spikelet, 3.5-6 mm long and 1-2 mm wide, not inflated, lance-shaped with two strong 1 mm long teeth at their tips. (Insert) - Three fuzzy stigmas protrude from the tips of the perigynia.

Carex

Carex pseudocyperus

cyperus sedge [Blooms: Jun-Jul]

A fertile culm of star sedge (right). Most culms are fertile, generating an apical inflorescence 1.5-3" long with 3-8 spikelets more closely spaced the higher their position on the inflorescence. Spikelets consist of 1-9 perigynia, 3 mm long and 1.5 mm wide, each initially erect, but later rotating so they point in all directions. (Thus, the species name "radiata.") At the base of each spikelet is a needle-like, long, narrow bract. The bracts are longer the further the spike is from the tip of the inflorescence; the bract beneath the most basal spikelet may be as long as the entire inflorescence. The male florets (lower left image; note the club-like anthers) occur above (more distal than) the female florets in the spikelet; the latter have a pair of 1 mm long styles protruding from their tips (upper left image; the fuzzy stigmas are beginning to wither in this image).

Carex

Carex radiata

star sedge [Blooms: May-?]

Rosy sedge (Carex rosea) is a native perennial sedge that typically grows 8-12" tall but individual culms may get as long as three feet. Culms are three sided ("three square"), 1.6-2.2 mm wide basally, tapering to 0.5-0.9 mm distally; the upper parts of the culm are rough textured. Spikes are stalkless and occur in a cluster at the tip of the culm up to 2.75" long. The cluster is composed of 4-8 small spikelets, crowded at the tip of the spike but well separated lower in the spike. Individual spikes consist of staminate (male) florets at the tip and pistillate (female) florets at the base, the individual florets radiating in all directions from the center of the spike. At the base of each spike is a bristle-like bract; the lowest bract in the cluster may be more leaf-like and may overtop the terminal spike. The staminate florets have anthers 0.8-1.3 mm long. The pistillate spikes produce fruit in late spring or early summer that consists of clusters of seeds (achenes) 1.6-2.2mm long and 1.1-1.6 mm wide. The pistillate scales are 1.3-2.75 mm long. The perigynia are 2.6-4 mm long and 1.1-1.8 mm wide, green to yellowish brown at maturity, lance-shaped in outline and flattened on the back; they taper to a short beak with minute teeth along the edges and two larger teeth at the tip. The styles often persist in the fruit with the two twisted stigmas protruding. Each cluster of seeds is wrapped in a casing (perigynium) and subtended by an egg-shaped to nearly round pistillate scale, translucent white with a green midrib, blunt or pointed at the tip but lacking an awn. You're unlikely to confuse rosy sedge with any of the other local sedges except the star sedge (Carex radiata) which also has culms that are triangular in section and, late in the development of the inflorescence, also has a "starburst" pattern of spikelets radiating in all directions. Star sedge has narrower (<2 mm) leaves than rosy sedge (3 mm) and star sedge has straight styles while rosy sedge has styles that curl through three turns; the styles in both species are red (assuming the styles are in their prime when you see them). Compare photos of the two species before deciding on an identification.

Carex

Carex rosea

rosy sedge [Blooms: May-Jun]

Fertile culms produce an apical inflorescence up to 12" long bearing 1-3 staminate (male) spikelets 1-2 cm long with 3 anthers and 2-5 pistillate (female) spikelets 1.5-3 cm long. The pistillate spikelets are roughly cylindrical overall with 10-30 perigynia 4-7 mm long radiating in all directions from the axis; each perigynium has an inflated, nearly-spherical base and a long, tapering, sharp distal beak.

Carex

Carex sprengelii

longbeaked sedge [Blooms: Apr-May]

Two prickly sedge inflorescences photographed about a month apart. Fertile culms bear an apical inflorescence from 2-4" long bearing several short spikelets with a distinctly spikey appearance; the spikelets are initially light green (left image) but turn gold (right image) to brown as they mature. Each spikelet has a needle-like bract at its base (longest in the lowermost spikelet); the spikelet has a few staminate (male) perigynia apically but the majority of the perigynia are pistillate.

Carex

Carex stipata

prickly sedge [Blooms: May-Jun]

Blunt broom sedge (Carex tribuloides) is a native perennial that ranges across the eastern half of the U.S. It is classified as "Secure" in Illinois although it is not very common in Jackson Park. The culms of blunt broom sedge range from 1.5-3 feet long, erect or (more often) ascending. In tufts of blunt broom sedge, both sterile and fertile culms appear; both are light green, hairless, and triangular ("3-angled") in cross section. Fertile culms carry a 2.5" long inflorescence at their tips consisting of 5-15 partly overlapping or slightly separated spikelets. In contrast to the usual pattern in sedges, the spikelets of blunt broom sedges bear male (staminate) florets at their bases and female (pistillate) florets distally, the latter with two protruding stigmas. Individual spikelets are stalkless, 6-12 mm long, ovoid, and markedly prickly due to the long beaks of the ascending perigynia (which are 3-5 mm long and 1.25-1.75 mm across, flattened, and lance-shaped). The spikelets are cone-shaped in outline, tapered at their base and rounded at their tips. Immature spikelets are light green; mature spikelets are light brown. The lowest spikelet in an inflorescence has a 1/2-3/4" long, needle-like bract at its base; the next higher spikelet may also have a (shorter) bract at its base. The florets are wind pollinated. Blunt broom sedge prefers moist to wet conditions in light shade to full sun, favoring habitats like wet meadows, floodplain forests, pond margins, and swamps.

Carex

Carex tribuloides

blunt broom sedge [Blooms: May-Jun]

Brown fox sedge fertile culms apically bear a 2-5" long, 15 mm wide inflorescence (bottom) with numerous spikelets variably spaced along the axis. All spikelets have staminate (male) flowers apically and pistillate flowers below with a bristle-like bract at their bases; the lowest bract is the longest (up to 2"). Perigynia (top) are 2-3 mm long and 1.5 mm across, tapering to a toothed beak; pistillate scales as long as the perigynia with terminal awns add to the bristly appearance.

Carex

Carex vulpinoidea

brown fox sedge [Blooms: May-Jul]