Carex leptopoda
Slender-footed sedge
(c) Steven Lamonde, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex leptopoda (Slender-footed sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by spikelet shape and perigynium wall structure are key.
Slender-footed sedge is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, the Cascade Range, northern Sierra Nevada, Sierra Nevada, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, and southwestern California in moist soil and wooded areas at elevations below 2,400 meters. This sedge produces pale flowers in inflorescences 2 to 4 centimeters long with 5 to 15 millimeter spikelets. Growing with loosely clustered stems 20 to 80 centimeters tall, it forms a distinctive clumped growth pattern. Its leaf blades are 2.4 to 5.9 millimeters wide, with pistillate flower bracts that are generally white. The fruit is small, measuring 1.5 to 1.9 millimeters long, with a green, lanceolate perigynia that has a short beak 0.9 to 1.7 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 138 sympatric species; spikelet shape and perigynium wall structure are key
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist soil, wooded areas
Elevation: < 2400 m
California counties: Sonoma, Fresno, Mendocino, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Modoc, Siskiyou, Butte, Los Angeles, El Dorado, Santa Cruz, Tulare, Alameda, Plumas, Tuolumne, Placer, Sierra, Calaveras, Trinity, Tehama, Alpine, Contra Costa, Monterey, San Francisco, Kern, Napa, Inyo
Outside California: to British Columbia, Montana
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 leptopoda native to California?
Yes. Carex leptopoda is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex leptopoda grow?
Carex leptopoda occurs in Sonoma, Fresno, Mendocino, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Modoc and other counties, at elevations of < 2400 m.
What plant family does Carex leptopoda belong to?
Carex leptopoda is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex leptopoda grow in?
Carex leptopoda grows in Moist soil, wooded areas.
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.