Carex filifolia
Encyclopedia
Carex filifolia is a species of sedge
known by the common name threadleaf sedge.
to California
and Manitoba
to New Mexico
, where it grows in moist and dry habitat.
. The leaves are narrow and rolled tightly, appearing quill-like.
The inflorescence
is up to 3 centimeters long and has flowers coated with reddish scales. The fruit is covered in a sac called a perigynium which is somewhat hairy. The plant produces some seeds, but mainly reproduces vegetatively
.
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 threadleaf sedge.
Distribution
This sedge is native to much of western North America, from AlaskaAlaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
to New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, where it grows in moist and dry habitat.
Description
Carex filifolia produces clumps of stems which are rounded or triangular, wiry, and angled or curved, reaching up to about 35 centimeters long. The root network is extensive and it forms sodSod
Sod or turf is grass and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of thin material.The term sod may be used to mean turf grown and cut specifically for the establishment of lawns...
. The leaves are narrow and rolled tightly, appearing quill-like.
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 up to 3 centimeters long and has flowers coated with reddish scales. The fruit is covered in a sac called a perigynium which is somewhat hairy. The plant produces some seeds, but mainly reproduces vegetatively
Vegetative reproduction
Vegetative reproduction is a form of asexual reproduction in plants. It is a process by which new individuals arise without production of seeds or spores...
.