Carex heteroneura
Smooth-fruited sedge, Smooth-Fruited Sedge
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex heteroneura (Smooth-fruited sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by . Key features include moderate density inflorescence, flattened perigynia, and wide pistillate bracts.
Smooth-fruited sedge is a California native perennial sedge found in the Klamath Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Gabriel Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, Warner Mountains, and eastern Sierra Nevada in meadows, forest openings, and rocky slopes at elevations of 1,300 to 4,000 meters. Its flowering period and flower characteristics are not specified in the available data. Growing in dense tufts with stems 25 to 100 centimeters tall, this sedge forms robust clumps in mountain habitats. Its leaves are relatively narrow, with blades 2 to 7 millimeters wide, and feature distinctive spikelets with pistillate flowers that have brown to dark purple bracts. The plant produces small fruits 1 to 2 millimeters long, with perigynia that can be green, brown, or dark purple, typically rounded at the tip with a very short beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 119 sympatric species. Key features include moderate density inflorescence, flattened perigynia, and wide pistillate bracts.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Meadows, forest openings, rocky slopes
Elevation: 1300-4000 m
California counties: Fresno, Plumas, Mono, San Bernardino, El Dorado, Los Angeles, Tulare, Alpine, Inyo, Madera, Mariposa, Modoc, Nevada, Trinity, Tuolumne, Riverside, Placer, Shasta, Lassen, Sierra, Glenn, Butte, Tehama, Calaveras, Alameda, Siskiyou, Amador
Outside California: to British Columbia, Rocky Mountains
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 heteroneura native to California?
Yes. Carex heteroneura is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex heteroneura grow?
Carex heteroneura occurs in Fresno, Plumas, Mono, San Bernardino, El Dorado, Los Angeles, Tulare, Alpine and other counties, at elevations of 1300-4000 m.
What plant family does Carex heteroneura belong to?
Carex heteroneura is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex heteroneura grow in?
Carex heteroneura grows in Meadows, forest openings, rocky slopes.
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.