Carex douglasii
Douglas' sedge
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex douglasii (Douglas' sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by dioecious habit and dry habitat distinctive.
Douglas' sedge is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California, Sierra Nevada, San Joaquin Valley, southern Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, Great Basin, and Desert Mountains (Cottonwood Mountains) in sandy, gravelly, or alkaline relatively dry areas at elevations of 300 to 3,800 meters. Its dense inflorescences feature pale brown to white flower bracts with distinctive pistillate flowers. Growing with a slender brown rhizome and thick leaf blades 1 to 3.5 millimeters wide that are often folded or inrolled at the margins, the sedge forms compact clumps. Its leaves have a thick rim at the sheath mouth and create a dense, structured growth habit. The fruit is gold to brown, with a narrow white-margined beak and appressed perigynia that are intricately many-veined.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 122 sympatric species; dioecious habit and dry habitat distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy, gravelly, or alkaline +- dry areas
Elevation: 300-3800 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Alpine, El Dorado, Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Plumas, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Tulare, Riverside, Shasta, Santa Barbara, Amador, Sutter, Tuolumne, San Benito, Ventura, Mariposa, Placer, Sierra, Madera, Siskiyou
Outside California: to western and central Canada, central United States, New Mexico
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 douglasii native to California?
Yes. Carex douglasii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex douglasii grow?
Carex douglasii occurs in Los Angeles, Alpine, El Dorado, Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Lassen, Modoc and other counties, at elevations of 300-3800 m.
What plant family does Carex douglasii belong to?
Carex douglasii is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex douglasii grow in?
Carex douglasii grows in Sandy, gravelly, or alkaline +- dry 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.