Carex geyeri
Geyer's sedge, Geyer's Sedge
(c) Jared Shorma, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Carex geyeri (Geyer's sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by very large perigynia and rhizomatous habit in dry forest distinctive.
Geyer's sedge is a California native perennial sedge found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada, and northern California mountain regions in open forests and slopes at elevations of 900 to 2,100 meters. Flowering seasonally, this sedge forms distinctive clumps connected by underground rhizomes with evergreen leaves 2 to 3.5 millimeters wide. Growing with stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall, the plant develops compact clusters of green, short-awned flower bracts. Its leaves are flat or slightly folded, often matching or exceeding the height of the plant's inflorescence. The fruit develops as small obovoid perigynia, approximately 4.5 to 6.2 millimeters long, with subtle green margins.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 111 sympatric species; very large perigynia and rhizomatous habit in dry forest distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open forest, slopes
Elevation: 900-2100 m
California counties: Butte, Plumas, Humboldt, Trinity, Del Norte, Siskiyou, Lassen, Monterey, Mariposa, San Francisco, Placer
Outside California: to western Canada, Colorado, possibly alien in Pennsylvania
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
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 geyeri native to California?
Yes. Carex geyeri is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex geyeri grow?
Carex geyeri occurs in Butte, Plumas, Humboldt, Trinity, Del Norte, Siskiyou, Lassen, Monterey and other counties, at elevations of 900-2100 m.
What plant family does Carex geyeri belong to?
Carex geyeri is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
Is Carex geyeri rare or endangered?
Carex geyeri carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S4.
What habitat does Carex geyeri grow in?
Carex geyeri grows in Open forest, slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · 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.