Carex pachystachya
Starry broomsedge, Starry Broomsedge
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex pachystachya (Starry broomsedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by spreading perigynia with obvious dark beaks.
Starry broomsedge is a California native perennial sedge found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, northern Sierra Nevada, Sacramento Valley, Central Coast, and Warner Mountains in dry to wet meadows, shores, and open forests at elevations of 900 to 3,500 meters. Its flowering period cannot be determined from the provided data. Growing with fine stems forming dense tufts, this sedge produces inflorescences 9 to 28 millimeters long with multiple spikelets. Its leaves are narrow, 1.2 to 6.5 millimeters wide, with short ligules less than 2.5 millimeters long. The fruit is small and distinctive, with ovate perigynia 1.4 to 1.9 millimeters long, ranging in color from gold to brown or coppery to nearly black, with a shiny surface and a delicate marginal wing.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 126 sympatric species; key features are spreading perigynia with obvious dark beaks
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry to wet meadows, shores, open forest
Elevation: (75)900-3500 m
California counties: Humboldt, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tuolumne, Sonoma, El Dorado, Plumas, Shasta, Glenn, Del Norte, Lassen, Modoc, Santa Cruz, Tehama, Mendocino, Nevada, Butte, Placer, Colusa, Fresno, Alameda, Lake, Monterey, San Francisco, Alpine, Calaveras, Marin, Mono, San Luis Obispo, Mariposa, Madera, Sierra, Tulare, Sacramento
Outside California: to Alaska, Saskatchewan, Colorado, also Siberia
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 pachystachya native to California?
Yes. Carex pachystachya is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex pachystachya grow?
Carex pachystachya occurs in Humboldt, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tuolumne, Sonoma, El Dorado, Plumas, Shasta and other counties, at elevations of (75)900-3500 m.
What plant family does Carex pachystachya belong to?
Carex pachystachya is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex pachystachya grow in?
Carex pachystachya grows in dry to wet meadows, shores, open forest.
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.