Carex angustata
Narrow-leaved sedge
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex angustata (Narrow-leaved sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by fibrous sheaths and purple-dotted perigynia are key.
Narrow-leaved sedge is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, high North Coast, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and Modoc Plateau in wet meadows and streambanks at elevations of 300 to 2,300 meters. Flowering with pistillate spikelets 2 to 7 centimeters long, this sedge produces green and purple-tinged spikes. Growing with rhizomatous stems less than 1 meter tall, it forms dense stands with prominent lower stem sheaths that are scabrous and sometimes bearing reddish prickles. Its leaves have blades 2 to 7 millimeters wide, with bladeless sheaths that are notably fibrous on lower stems. The fruit is small, measuring 1 to 1.5 millimeters long with a short 0.2 to 0.5 millimeter beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 120 sympatric species; fibrous sheaths and purple-dotted perigynia are key
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet meadows, streambanks
Elevation: 300-2300 m
California counties: Butte, Plumas, Siskiyou, Tulare, Calaveras, Humboldt, Modoc, Nevada, Tehama, Sierra, Placer, Shasta, Colusa, Tuolumne, Lassen, Alameda, El Dorado, Trinity, Fresno, Del Norte, Lake, Yuba, Glenn, Santa Barbara, Mariposa
Outside California: to eastern Washington, also central Idaho
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 angustata native to California?
Yes. Carex angustata is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex angustata grow?
Carex angustata occurs in Butte, Plumas, Siskiyou, Tulare, Calaveras, Humboldt, Modoc, Nevada and other counties, at elevations of 300-2300 m.
What plant family does Carex angustata belong to?
Carex angustata is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex angustata grow in?
Carex angustata grows in Wet meadows, streambanks.
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.