Carex limosa

Mud sedge

Family: Cyperaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2

Mud sedge is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northeastern California high country, southern Sierra Nevada, and Warner Mountains in Sphagnum bogs at elevations of 1,200 to 2,700 meters. This sedge has lateral spikelets on long, nodding stalks with pistillate flower bracts generally brown in color. Growing with rhizomatous roots and stems 20 to 60 centimeters tall that are obviously hairy, the plant develops slender leaf blades 1 to 3 millimeters wide. Its leaves are predominantly basal and minute, creating a delicate ground-hugging appearance. The fruit is distinctive, with a thick, tough perigynia 1.5 to 2.7 millimeters long, brown-glaucous in color and tapering to a wide conical tip.

Habitat: Sphagnum bogs

Elevation: 1200-2700 m

Bioregions: KR, CaRH, SNH, Wrn

California counties: El Dorado, Fresno, Plumas, Tuolumne, Alpine, Nevada, Tehama, Lassen, Butte, Siskiyou, Mariposa

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