Carex pansa

Sand dune sedge

Family: Cyperaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Sand dune sedge is a California native perennial sedge found in coastal regions including northern California Coast, central California Coast, southern California Coast, and northern Channel Islands in coastal sand habitats at elevations near sea level. Its inflorescence forms compact ovate to elliptic clusters with 1 to 10 spikelets in dark brown or purple-brown tones. Growing from spreading rhizomes 2 to 5 millimeters thick, this sedge develops flat or V-shaped leaf blades 1 to 3 millimeters wide. Its distinctive pistillate flower bracts are typically dark brown with white margins and have a shiny appearance. The fruit is small and brown, with a slightly tapered body measuring 1.4 to 2.1 millimeters long and featuring prominent veins on its outer surface.

Habitat: Coastal sand

Elevation: < 10 m

Bioregions: NCo, CCo, SCo, n ChI

California counties: Humboldt, Del Norte, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Marin, San Francisco, Sonoma

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