Carex occidentalis

Western sedge

Family: Cyperaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3

Western sedge is a native perennial sedge found in the San Gabriel Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, and White and Inyo Mountains in dry woodland and meadow habitats at elevations of 1,600 to 3,200 meters. This sedge forms loose tufted clusters with slender leaf blades 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters wide. Growing with relatively open inflorescences 1.5 to 3 centimeters long, it produces clusters with generally fewer than 10 distinct spikelets. Its leaves have brown pistillate flower bracts with short awns, creating a delicate texture across the plant's structure. The fruit is small, approximately 1.3 to 2 millimeters long, with green to brown perigynia featuring a slightly notched tip.

Habitat: dry woodland, meadows

Elevation: 1600-3200 m

Bioregions: SnGb, SnBr, SnJt, W&ampI

California counties: San Bernardino, Mono, Riverside, Siskiyou, Plumas, Tuolumne, Placer, El Dorado, Los Angeles

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