Carex preslii
Presl's sedge
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex preslii (Presl's sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by distinctive mixed flat and cylindric beaks within inflorescence.
Presl's sedge is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, high Cascade Range, and Sierra Nevada Mountains in meadows, open forests, and dry rocky slopes at elevations of 1,800 to 3,400 meters. Its inflorescence features green and brown spikelets with subtle gold and red-brown highlights, creating a nuanced color palette across dense clusters. Growing with slender stems and flat to folded leaf blades 2 to 4 millimeters wide, this sedge forms delicate clumps in alpine and subalpine environments. The leaves have distinctive white, gold, and red-brown bracts with pale green centers, complemented by ovate perigynia that are green to gold with thin but opaque walls. Its small fruits measure 1.7 to 2.1 millimeters long, with beaks that vary between flat and cylindrical, creating intricate textural variations in the plant's appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 120 sympatric species; distinctive mixed flat and cylindric beaks within inflorescence
Habitat and range
Habitat: Meadows, open forest, dry rocky slopes
Elevation: 1800-3400 m
California counties: Mono, Siskiyou, El Dorado, Fresno, Humboldt, Nevada, Shasta, Tehama, Trinity, Inyo, Alpine, Mariposa, Lassen, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Placer, Tulare, Kern, Plumas, Sierra, Lake, Tuolumne, Madera, Butte, Riverside, Sonoma
Outside California: western 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 preslii native to California?
Yes. Carex preslii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex preslii grow?
Carex preslii occurs in Mono, Siskiyou, El Dorado, Fresno, Humboldt, Nevada, Shasta, Tehama and other counties, at elevations of 1800-3400 m.
What plant family does Carex preslii belong to?
Carex preslii is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex preslii grow in?
Carex preslii grows in Meadows, open forest, dry rocky slopes.
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.