Carex utriculata is a species of sedge known as Northwest Territory sedge[1] and common yellow lake sedge.[2]

Distribution

This sedge is native to the northern half of North America, including most all of Canada and the northern United States, and down to montane California.[1] It is also found in northern Europe and northern Asia. It is a common plant in many types of wetland habitat.

Description

Carex utriculata produces stems exceeding 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in maximum height from a thick network of long rhizomes. The inflorescence is a cylindrical mass of flowers up to about 40 cm (16 in) long with an accompanying leaf-like bract which is generally longer than the flower spike. Each inflorescence bears up to 200 developing fruits, each enclosed in a shiny green, golden, or brown perigynium.

  • Early-season, male above female spikes
    Early-season, male above female spikes
  • At Hamilton Lake edge, Sierra Nevada
    At Hamilton Lake edge, Sierra Nevada

References

  1. ^ a b USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Carex utriculata". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 2018-11-20.
  2. ^ Wilhelm, Gerould; Rericha, Laura (2017). Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Indiana Academy of Sciences.

External links