Carex radiata

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).

A star sedge tuft; the culms and leaves have fallen over. The culms are light green, triangular in section, and anchor several alternate leaves in the bottom third of the culm. Leaves are very delicate, up to 12″ long but less than 2 mm across; when young, the leaves are V-shaped in section. (Bottom left corner of image.) 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 (inset). 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. 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 male florets 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 (inset).

Star sedge forms dense tufts of culms and leaves about 1.5 feet tall and about the same across, with the culms oriented in all directions. The culms are light green, triangular in section, and anchor several alternate leaves in the bottom third of the culm. Leaves are very delicate, up to 12″ long but less than 2 mm across. 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, 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.