Carex spicata is a species of sedge

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...

 in the genus Carex.

Description

The culms of Carex spicata are 10–85 cm (3.9–33.5 ) long and approximately triangular in section. The leaves

Leaf

A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....

 are 7–45 cm (2.8–17.7 ) long and 2–4 mm (0.078740157480315–0.15748031496063 ) wide, with a distinct keel. The ligule

Ligule

A ligule — is a thin outgrowth at the junction of leaf and leafstalk of many grasses and sedges or a strap-shaped corolla, such as that of a ray floret in plants in the daisy family....

, at the base of the leaf, is 4 millimetre long, with a large amount of loose white tissue. C. spicata differs from the other species in Carex section Phaestoglochin by the presence of a purple pigment in the roots, leaf sheaths and bracts.

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 4 centimetre long, and comprises 3–8 spikes. Each spike is 5 millimetre long, with female (pistillate) flowers at the base, and male (staminate) flowers at the tip.

Distribution and ecology

Carex spicata has a European temperate distribution, although it has been extensively naturalised

Naturalisation (biology)

In biology, naturalisation is any process by which a non-native organism spreads into the wild and its reproduction is sufficient to maintain its population. Such populations are said to be naturalised....

 outside this native range.

Carex spicata is usually found in grassland

Grassland

Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...

 (usually in British NVC community MG10

British NVC community MG10

British NVC community MG10 is one of the mesotrophic grassland communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system. It is one of three communities associated with poorly-drained permanent pastures.It is a widespread community throughout the British lowlands...

 in the British Isles), on roadsides, and in waste ground. It is found on heavy, slightly base-rich soils, and cannot tolerate much competition

Competition (biology)

Competition is an interaction between organisms or species, in which the fitness of one is lowered by the presence of another. Limited supply of at least one resource used by both is required. Competition both within and between species is an important topic in ecology, especially community ecology...

.

Taxonomy

Carex spicata was first described

Alpha taxonomy

Alpha taxonomy is the discipline concerned with finding, describing and naming species of living or fossil organisms. This field is supported by institutions holding collections of these organisms, with relevant data, carefully curated: such institutes include natural history museums, herbaria and...

 by the English botanist William Hudson

William Hudson (botanist)

William Hudson FRS was a British botanist and apothecary based in London. His main work was Flora Anglica, published in 1762. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1761.- Life and work :...

 in his 1762 work Flora Anglica.

It is known in the British Isles

British Isles

The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...

 as "spiked sedge", in North America as "spicate sedge" or "prickly sedge". In Irish

Irish language

Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...

 it is called , and in Welsh

Welsh language

Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...

, its name is , or .

Few hybrids have been reported between C. spicata and other members of Carex sect. Phaestoglochin, but hybrids have been reported between C. spicata and C. otrubae, and between C. spicata and C. echinata

Carex echinata

Carex echinata is a species of sedge known by the common names star sedge and little prickly sedge.-Distribution:This plant is native to North and Central America and parts of Eurasia. Carex echinata is a plant of wet forests, marshes, and mountain meadows of moderate elevation...

.

External links

• Carex spicata Hudson, Fl. Angl. 349. 1762., Flora of North America
  Flora of North America
  The Flora of North America North of Mexico is a multivolume work describing the native plants of North America. These days much of the Flora is available . The work is expected to fill 30 volumes when completed...
  
  
• Carex spicata Huds., University of Michigan Herbarium
• Carex spicata, "The Plants of Pennsylvania"
• Carex spicata, "The History of the British Flora"