Carex praeceptorum

Teacher sedge, Teacher Sedge

Family: Cyperaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Teacher sedge is a California native perennial sedge found in the high Sierra Nevada Mountains in wet places at elevations of 2,200 to 3,500 meters. Its distinctive growth form includes stems that generally lean at a 45-degree angle, ranging 10 to 30 centimeters tall and growing in dense, cespitose clusters. The sedge produces narrow leaf blades about 1.2 to 2.5 millimeters wide, with inflorescences often dense and compact, featuring up to 10 spikelets 4 to 7 millimeters long. Its pistillate flower bracts are light brown with delicate white margins, creating an elegant appearance. The fruit is characterized by a golden perigynia with a papillate upper body and distinctive wide-conic dark brown beaks.

Habitat: Wet places

Elevation: 2200-3500 m

Bioregions: CaRH, c&amps SNH

California counties: Inyo, Fresno, Mono, Tulare, Tuolumne, Alpine, Madera, Shasta, Tehama

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