Carex sartwelliana

Sartwell's or yosemite sedge, Sartwell's Sedge

Family: Cyperaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Sartwell's sedge is a California native perennial found in central Sierra Nevada Mountains and Peninsular Ranges in moist meadows, creekbanks, and open forest at elevations of 1,200 to 2,600 meters. Its distinctive base features red-purple stems rising 30 to 145 centimeters tall, forming dense tufted clumps in damp mountain landscapes. Growing with hairy leaves 3 to 7 millimeters wide, this sedge has delicate white-margined green bracts with soft ciliate edges. Its fruits are small, measuring 1.5 to 2.1 millimeters long, with perigynium ranging from green to dark purple-brown on the upper portion of the body. The plant's unique growth form includes ascending perigynia with subtle ribs and thin-walled structures, creating intricate texture in mountain wetland environments.

Habitat: Moist or wet meadows, roadside seeps, damp granite ledges, creekbanks, open forest

Elevation: 1200-2600 m

Bioregions: c&amps SNH, PR.

California counties: Fresno, Mariposa, Riverside, Tulare, Tuolumne, San Diego, Kern, San Bernardino, San Benito, Mono, Madera

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