Carex cyrtostachya
Arching sedge, Arching Sedge
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matt Berger · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Carex cyrtostachya (Arching sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by long narrow spikes and loose-fitting perigynia.
Arching sedge is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in northern Sierra Nevada in Butte, El Dorado, and Yuba counties, inhabiting wet meadows, marshes, and riparian margins at elevations of 600 to 1,350 meters. Flowering from May to July, this sedge produces pale green to reddish-brown flowers in linear cylindric spikes up to 6 centimeters long. Growing in dense tufts with stems 20 to 132 centimeters tall, it forms robust clumps with distinctively arching stems. Its leaves are narrow, 1.5 to 4.5 millimeters wide, with sheaths often marked by red or purple dots and green to whitish coloration. The fruit is enclosed in pale green to brown perigynia with occasional reddish or purple markings, each 1.9 to 2.7 millimeters long with a short beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 86 sympatric species; long narrow spikes and loose-fitting perigynia
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet meadows, marshes, seasonally wet outcrops, seeps, swales, riparian margins, floodplain terraces
Elevation: 600-1350 m
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
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 cyrtostachya native to California?
Yes. Carex cyrtostachya is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Carex cyrtostachya belong to?
Carex cyrtostachya is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
Is Carex cyrtostachya rare or endangered?
Carex cyrtostachya carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2.
What habitat does Carex cyrtostachya grow in?
Carex cyrtostachya grows in Wet meadows, marshes, seasonally wet outcrops, seeps, swales, riparian margins, floodplain terraces.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.