Carex lasiocarpa

Woolly-fruited sedge, Woolly-Fruited Sedge

Family: Cyperaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3

Woolly-fruited sedge is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, California High Cascade Range, and northern Sierra Nevada Highlands in southern Plumas County, inhabiting lake and pond shores with standing water at elevations of 600 to 2,100 meters. Spreading through rhizomes, this sedge produces slender stems 60 to 120 centimeters tall with narrow, inrolled leaves that often curl into thread-like tips. Its leaves are exceptionally thin, measuring just 0.7 to 2 millimeters wide, with a subtle midvein and occasionally ciliate leaf sheaths. The plant develops distinctive pistillate spikelets with narrow, purple-brown bracts that have white margins and delicate awns. Its fruits are small, woolly structures approximately 1.5 to 2.1 millimeters long, with thick-walled perigynia that are generally purple-tinged with subtle ribbing.

Habitat: Lake, pond shores, generally standing water

Elevation: 600-2100 m

Bioregions: KR, CaRH, n SNH (s Plumas Co.).

California counties: Plumas, Fresno, Nevada, Marin, Sonoma, Modoc, Lassen, Shasta, Mono, Inyo, San Bernardino

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.