Carex lenticularis var. impressa
Tarn sedge, Tarn Sedge
(c) Jason Sturner, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex lenticularis var. impressa (Tarn sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by . Distinguished by short internodes, purple-dotted perigynia, and very short stalks.
Tarn sedge is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California Coast Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and Warner Mountains in wet places at elevations of 1,200 to 3,000 meters. Its fruiting bodies feature distinctive purple-dotted perigynia in the upper half, creating a unique visual texture. Growing with slender stems, this sedge forms delicate clumps in alpine and subalpine wetland environments. Its sedge-like leaves cluster around stems with fine, grass-like structure. The fruit is small, approximately 1 to 1.4 millimeters long, with a slightly purple-tinted beak that adds subtle visual interest to the plant's delicate form.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 121 sympatric species. Distinguished by short internodes, purple-dotted perigynia, and very short stalks.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet places
Elevation: 1200-3000 m
California counties: Nevada, Plumas, Inyo, Fresno, El Dorado, Mariposa, Mono, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Amador, Colusa, Humboldt, Kern, Shasta, Del Norte, Modoc, Alpine, Madera, Sierra, Lake, Butte, Lassen, Glenn, Placer
Outside California: to Washington
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 lenticularis var. impressa native to California?
Yes. Carex lenticularis var. impressa is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex lenticularis var. impressa grow?
Carex lenticularis var. impressa occurs in Nevada, Plumas, Inyo, Fresno, El Dorado, Mariposa, Mono, Siskiyou and other counties, at elevations of 1200-3000 m.
What plant family does Carex lenticularis var. impressa belong to?
Carex lenticularis var. impressa is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex lenticularis var. impressa grow in?
Carex lenticularis var. impressa grows in Wet places.
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.