Carex athrostachya
Long-bracted sedge, Long-Bracted Sedge
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex athrostachya (Long-bracted sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by prominent ascending bracts and flat perigynia are key.
Long-bracted sedge is a California native perennial sedge found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, and Great Basin in seasonally moist meadows and marshes at elevations of 400 to 3,200 meters. Its inflorescences are dense green to light brown clusters 15 to 22 millimeters long with distinctive ascending lower bracts. Growing with narrow leaves 1.5 to 4 millimeters wide, this sedge forms compact clumps with erect stems. Its leaves have narrow blades that wrap slightly around the stem base, with subtle leaf-like characteristics. The fruit is small, approximately 1.1 to 1.7 millimeters long, with a green to light brown perigynia that has delicate, weak veins.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 128 sympatric species; prominent ascending bracts and flat perigynia are key
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Seasonally moist meadows, marshes
Elevation: 400-3200 m
California counties: Modoc, Marin, San Bernardino, Trinity, Tuolumne, Butte, Los Angeles, Alpine, Amador, El Dorado, Fresno, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Mono, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tulare, Inyo, Riverside, Ventura, Sonoma, Placer, Kern, Shasta, Del Norte, Calaveras, Glenn, Tehama, Colusa, San Diego, Sacramento
Outside California: western North America
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 athrostachya native to California?
Yes. Carex athrostachya is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex athrostachya grow?
Carex athrostachya occurs in Modoc, Marin, San Bernardino, Trinity, Tuolumne, Butte, Los Angeles, Alpine and other counties, at elevations of 400-3200 m.
What plant family does Carex athrostachya belong to?
Carex athrostachya is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex athrostachya grow in?
Carex athrostachya grows in Common. Seasonally moist meadows, marshes.
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.