Carex hendersonii
Timber or henderson's sedge
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex hendersonii (Timber or henderson's sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by . Distinguished by coastal habitat, prostrate fruiting habit, and highly veined perigynia.
Timber sedge is a California native perennial found in coastal regions including Northern California Coast, Northern California Coast Ranges, Central California Coast, and San Francisco Bay Area in coastal forests at elevations below 900 meters. Flowering details unavailable, this sedge produces white-tinged flowers with distinctive bracts. Growing densely in clumps with erect or decumbent stems 40 to 100 centimeters tall, it forms robust clusters in forest understories. Its leaf blades are notably wide, measuring 6 to 16 millimeters across, with a characteristic cespitose growth habit. The fruit is green, approximately 3 millimeters long with complex venation and a wide-conic tip.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 76 sympatric species. Distinguished by coastal habitat, prostrate fruiting habit, and highly veined perigynia.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal forests
Elevation: < 900 m
California counties: Humboldt, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Del Norte, Mendocino, Marin, San Mateo, Siskiyou
Outside California: to British Columbia, also Idaho
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 hendersonii native to California?
Yes. Carex hendersonii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex hendersonii grow?
Carex hendersonii occurs in Humboldt, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Del Norte, Mendocino, Marin, San Mateo, Siskiyou, at elevations of < 900 m.
What plant family does Carex hendersonii belong to?
Carex hendersonii is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex hendersonii grow in?
Carex hendersonii grows in Coastal forests.
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.