Carex hystericina
Porcupine sedge, Porcupine Sedge
(c) Randy A Nonenmacher, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1
Carex hystericina (Porcupine sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by . Distinguished by drooping spikes, long-awned bracts, and large spreading perigynia.
Porcupine sedge is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges in wet places at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from May to July, this sedge produces cream to white flowers with pale red centers in distinctive nodding spikelets. Growing with stems 15 to 100 centimeters tall, it spreads via short rhizomes and forms dense clusters in wet habitats. Its leaves have long ligules that distinctly extend beyond their width, with lower leaves featuring long, drooping stalks. The fruit develops as small green to gold perigynia with an ascending-spreading orientation, each bearing a short 2-millimeter beak with erect teeth.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 76 sympatric species. Distinguished by drooping spikes, long-awned bracts, and large spreading perigynia.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet places
Elevation: < 500 m
California counties: Trinity, Siskiyou, El Dorado, Lake
Outside California: to western Canada, eastern North America
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.1
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 hystericina native to California?
Yes. Carex hystericina is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex hystericina grow?
Carex hystericina occurs in Trinity, Siskiyou, El Dorado, Lake, at elevations of < 500 m.
What plant family does Carex hystericina belong to?
Carex hystericina is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
Is Carex hystericina rare or endangered?
Carex hystericina carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.1, state rank S2.
What habitat does Carex hystericina grow in?
Carex hystericina grows in Wet places.
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.