Carex amplifolia
Big-leaf sedge, Big-Leaf Sedge
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Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex amplifolia (Big-leaf sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by very wide leaves and cross-walls are distinctive.
Big-leaf sedge is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, and Modoc Plateau in seasonally wet areas at elevations below 2,200 meters. Flowering from late spring to early summer, this sedge produces green and brown spikelets with purple-tipped white-edged flower bracts. Growing with robust rhizomatous stems 50 to 100 centimeters tall and distinctively sharp three-winged stems, it forms dense clumps in moist habitats. Its leaves are broad, 8 to 23 millimeters wide, with distinctive small raised cross-walls and slightly hairy leaf sheaths. The fruit is a small, green and brown perigynia with a curved beak, approximately 1.3 to 2 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 130 sympatric species; very wide leaves and cross-walls are distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Seasonally wet areas
Elevation: < 2200 m
California counties: Sierra, San Bernardino, San Mateo, Del Norte, Fresno, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Plumas, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Sonoma, Shasta, El Dorado, Nevada, Kern, Santa Cruz, Tuolumne, Glenn, Napa, Butte, Modoc, Mariposa, Mendocino, Madera, Yuba, Colusa, Alpine, Placer, San Luis Obispo
Outside California: to southern British Columbia, northwestern Montana
How to tell it apart
vs Juncus: Carex stems are triangular when rolled; Juncus stems are round and often hollow with partitions inside.; vs Cyperus: Carex has seeds in individual flasks; Cyperus has umbrella-like flower clusters with flattened ribbon-like spikes.; vs Plantago: Carex has triangular stems and brown/green spikelets; Plantago has round flower stalks and white/brown spike flowers.; vs Eleocharis: Carex has leaves along the stem; Eleocharis is nearly leafless with just one spikelet per stem.; vs Schoenoplectus: Carex has leafy stems and flask-enclosed seeds; Schoenoplectus has leafless round stems with exposed seeds.
Frequently asked questions
Is Carex amplifolia native to California?
Yes. Carex amplifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex amplifolia grow?
Carex amplifolia occurs in Sierra, San Bernardino, San Mateo, Del Norte, Fresno, Humboldt, Lake, Marin and other counties, at elevations of < 2200 m.
What plant family does Carex amplifolia belong to?
Carex amplifolia is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex amplifolia grow in?
Carex amplifolia grows in Seasonally wet areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.