Carex breweri
Brewer's sedge
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex breweri (Brewer's sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by quill-like leaves and flat wide perigynia.
Brewer's sedge is a California native perennial sedge found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, White and Inyo Mountains, and high Cascade Range in dry gravelly to sandy open areas at elevations of 2,000 to 3,900 meters. Its inflorescences feature distinctive wide-conic spikes with gold-brown to black flower bracts that have white margins. Growing with slender rhizomatous stems 10 to 25 centimeters tall, the plant produces narrow, quill-like leaves that are rolled and less than one millimeter wide. The leaves are shorter than the inflorescence, creating a delicate, compact growth form with thin, flat perigynia spreading 4 to 7 millimeters long. Its fruits are small, three-sided, and nestled next to a bristle-like axis, with perigynia ascending in gold-brown tones.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 98 sympatric species; quill-like leaves and flat wide perigynia are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry gravelly to sandy open areas
Elevation: 2000-3900 m
California counties: Fresno, Mono, Madera, Mariposa, Siskiyou, Tulare, Tuolumne, Inyo, El Dorado, Tehama, Shasta, Lassen, Amador
Outside California: to Washington
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 breweri native to California?
Yes. Carex breweri is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex breweri grow?
Carex breweri occurs in Fresno, Mono, Madera, Mariposa, Siskiyou, Tulare, Tuolumne, Inyo and other counties, at elevations of 2000-3900 m.
What plant family does Carex breweri belong to?
Carex breweri is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex breweri grow in?
Carex breweri grows in dry gravelly to sandy open 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.