Carex nigricans

Black alpine sedge

Family: Cyperaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Black alpine sedge is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, high Cascade Range, and Sierra Nevada Mountains in wet, rocky slopes and meadows at elevations of 1,900 to 3,700 meters. This sedge produces dark brown spikes in dense clusters, though specific flowering time is not detailed. Growing with rhizomatous roots and slender stems 5 to 30 centimeters tall, the plant forms compact clumps in alpine environments. Its narrow leaves are less than 3 millimeters wide and notably shorter than the plant's inflorescence. The plant's distinctive perigynium is dark brown, shiny, and narrow-elliptic with an obvious beak, creating an intricate architectural form in high-elevation habitats.

Habitat: Wet, rocky slopes, meadows

Elevation: 1900-3700 m

Bioregions: KR, CaRH, SNH

California counties: El Dorado, Fresno, Inyo, Madera, Mono, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tulare, Alpine, Modoc, Tuolumne, Nevada, Shasta, Mariposa, Placer

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