Carex praegracilis
Black creeper or freeway sedge, Black Creeper Or Freeway Sedge
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex praegracilis (Black creeper or freeway sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by very widespread with dark brown dull perigynia.
Black creeper is a native perennial sedge found in California (except Desert Southwest) in alkaline, moist habitats at elevations below 2,700 meters. Its flowers develop in dense clusters 1 to 5 centimeters long with 6 to 10 millimeters width, typically containing fewer than 10 spikelets. Growing with slender rhizomes 2 to 5 millimeters thick, this sedge develops flat or V-shaped leaf blades 1.5 to 3 millimeters wide. Its leaves often feature a distinctive dark or thick rim at the leaf sheath mouth, with leaf bracts ranging from dull gold to brown and occasionally white-margined. The fruit develops as a dark brown, slightly dull structure approximately 1.2 to 1.9 millimeters long with a serrated beak 0.6 to 1.5 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 139 sympatric species; very widespread with dark brown dull perigynia
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Often alkaline, +- moist places
Elevation: < 2700 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Butte, Fresno, Inyo, Modoc, Mono, Riverside, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Colusa, Lake, Marin, Monterey, Orange, Plumas, San Francisco, Sierra, Tulare, Kern, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Contra Costa, Yolo, El Dorado, San Joaquin, Lassen, San Benito, Sacramento, San Mateo, Del Norte, Mariposa, Placer, Calaveras, Stanislaus, Nevada, Napa, Alpine, Madera, Mendocino, Merced, Santa Cruz, Solano, Tehama, Glenn, Alameda, Shasta, Tuolumne
Outside California: western and central North America, South America, alien in eastern North America
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 praegracilis native to California?
Yes. Carex praegracilis is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex praegracilis grow?
Carex praegracilis occurs in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Butte, Fresno, Inyo, Modoc, Mono, Riverside and other counties, at elevations of < 2700 m.
What plant family does Carex praegracilis belong to?
Carex praegracilis is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex praegracilis grow in?
Carex praegracilis grows in Common. Often alkaline, +- moist places.
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.