categoryZGrasses Grasses List 

STAR SEDGE

Carex echinata

Sedge Club- & Spike-Rush Family [Cyperaceae]

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category
category8Grasses		 status
statusZnative

flower
flower8cream
 		 petals
petalsZ0
 		 stem
stem8triangular
blunted		 stem
stem8hollow
round hole		 sex
sexZmonoecious
 

11th June 2010, Boredale Hause, Paterdale, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
On the path up to Angle Tarn, protected from trampling by a small boulder.


11th June 2010, Boredale Hause, Paterdale, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
A short Sedge, up to 40cm long.


11th June 2010, Boredale Hause, Paterdale, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
With two or more medieval-looking star-shaped clubs on the end and up the sides near the top. With 3 or 4 spikes per stem, all un-stalked


11th June 2005, Bohemia, Isle of Wight. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
The long stems are straight with the inflorescence at and near the end only.


1st June 2018, nr. Seathwaite, Borrowdale Valley, Lake Dist. Photo: © RWD
It does seem to like paths as long as it can snuggle down between small boulders for protection from mountain boots.


1st June 2018, nr. Seathwaite, Borrowdale Valley, Lake Dist. Photo: © RWD


1st June 2018, nr. Seathwaite, Borrowdale Valley, Lake Dist. Photo: © RWD
Your Author holding four inflorescences up at once. (Your Author thinks that the narrow spike below the inflorescence at lower left is a stray stalk (perhaps grass) of a different plant inadvertently picked up with the 4 flowering spikes).


1st June 2018, nr. Seathwaite, Borrowdale Valley, Lake Dist. Photo: © RWD
The inflorescenes (aka utricles on Sedges) are stretched out in a 'star-like' formation (not that stars themselves do this at all - most are spherical if it were not for their spin which gives them an oblate-spheroidal shape), hence the vernacular name Star Sedge, one of the easiest sedges to recognise).

These utricles are 2.8 to 4.0mm long including the tapering beak which is between 1 to 1.5 mm long.



1st June 2018, nr. Seathwaite, Borrowdale Valley, Lake Dist. Photo: © RWD
There are 3 or 4 inflorescences near the top of each stem. These are showing the 2 (now browned) styles at the tips of the female florets. The stems are round(ish) to blunted-angular. each inflorescence has a narrowing taper and is flat on the upperside but rounded beneath.


11th June 2010, Boredale Hause, Paterdale, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
A truly vicious weapon were it not for its diminutive size and inherent weakness. The topmost spike is female with the male spike below it. Any other lower spikes are all female. These specimens are all in fruit, the fruits having quite a long beak.

Easily confused with : Many other sedges, but this one has pointed glumes, and is very common on wet acid upland soils and marshy bogs. In common with other Sedges, the stems are triangular in cross-section.

Not to be confused with : Star Moss [a plant with similar name]

Hybridizes with : White Sedge (Carex canescens) and Dioecious Sedge (Carex dioica) neither of which are represented above since neither grow in the Lake District.

The similar False Fox Sedge (Carex otrubae) differs from Star Sedge in having far more fruits which are also more closely-packed per spike.

Differs from the otherwise vaguely similar Dioecious Sedge (Carex dioica), Flea Sedge (Carex pulicaris) and Few-flowered Sedge (Carex pauciflora) in that all these have but a single spike per stem.

It is native and grows on acid to basic bogs, marshes or wet heaths and more often on hills or a short way up mountains. It is more common in the West and North. Seems to like sloping paths in your Authors humble opinion.

  Carex echinata  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Cyperaceae  

Distribution
family8Sedge Club- & Spike-Rush family8Cyperaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Carex
Carex
(Sedges)

STAR SEDGE

Carex echinata

Sedge Club- & Spike-Rush Family [Cyperaceae]

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