Carex illota
Sheep sedge
(c) Mark Pollock, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex illota (Sheep sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by . Key features include dense dark inflorescence, black shiny perigynia, and pithy tissue.
Sheep sedge is a California native perennial sedge found in the high Sierra Nevada, southern Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, and Warner Mountains in marshes, bogs, and wet meadows at elevations of 2,100 to 3,400 meters. Its dense dark brown inflorescences appear compact and distinctive, though flowering time is not specified. Growing with narrow leaves just 1 to 3 millimeters wide, this sedge forms dense clumps with relatively short stems. Its leaves and spikelets feature a striking dark brown to nearly black coloration with a shiny, obtuse appearance. The fruit is small, measuring 1.2 to 1.5 millimeters long with a planoconvex perigynium that spreads slightly and displays subtle textural characteristics.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 104 sympatric species. Key features include dense dark inflorescence, black shiny perigynia, and pithy tissue.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Marshes, bogs, wet meadows
Elevation: 2100-3400 m
California counties: Tulare, Fresno, El Dorado, Madera, Modoc, Mono, Tuolumne, Inyo, San Bernardino, Placer, Alpine, Mariposa, Nevada, Shasta, Sierra, Plumas, Kern, Siskiyou, Riverside
Outside California: western North America
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 illota native to California?
Yes. Carex illota is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex illota grow?
Carex illota occurs in Tulare, Fresno, El Dorado, Madera, Modoc, Mono, Tuolumne, Inyo and other counties, at elevations of 2100-3400 m.
What plant family does Carex illota belong to?
Carex illota is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex illota grow in?
Carex illota grows in Marshes, bogs, wet meadows.
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.