Carex fissuricola
Cleft sedge
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex fissuricola (Cleft sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by Y-shaped sheath mouths and bristly perigynia distinctive.
Cleft sedge is a California native perennial sedge found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in mountain meadows and rocky streamsides at elevations of 1,500 to 3,300 meters. Flowering in summer, this plant produces terminal spikelets with purple to brown lateral spikelets that nod gracefully on long stalks. Growing in dense clumps with stems 50 to 80 centimeters tall, it forms distinctive clustered colonies in alpine habitats. Its leaf blades are 3 to 8 millimeters wide, with pistillate flower bracts featuring brown or dark purple coloration and hairy margins. The fruit is characterized by ascending perigynia that are red-brown or purple, with sparse bristly surfaces and a short 0.8 to 2 millimeter beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 84 sympatric species; Y-shaped sheath mouths and bristly perigynia distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Meadows, rocky streamsides
Elevation: 1500-3300 m
California counties: Mono, Tulare, Fresno, Placer, Inyo, San Bernardino, Nevada, Madera, Tuolumne, Sierra, Trinity, Mariposa, El Dorado, Siskiyou, Alpine
Outside California: Idaho, northeastern Nevada, Utah
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 fissuricola native to California?
Yes. Carex fissuricola is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex fissuricola grow?
Carex fissuricola occurs in Mono, Tulare, Fresno, Placer, Inyo, San Bernardino, Nevada, Madera and other counties, at elevations of 1500-3300 m.
What plant family does Carex fissuricola belong to?
Carex fissuricola is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex fissuricola grow in?
Carex fissuricola grows in Meadows, rocky streamsides.
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.