Carex spectabilis
Showy sedge
(c) John Brew, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex spectabilis (Showy sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by distinctive purple coloration of inflorescence.
Showy sedge is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range high elevation areas, and Sierra Nevada Mountains in wet places at elevations of 1,800 to 3,700 meters. Its inflorescences feature distinctive purple spikelets with dark purple pistillate flower bracts that have pale midribs. Growing in dense or loosely clustered clumps with stems 20 to 90 centimeters tall, this sedge develops narrow leaf blades 2 to 5 millimeters wide. Its leaves are primarily basal, with distinctive purple-tinted perigynia that are somewhat flattened and papillate. The fruit is small, approximately 1.6 to 2 millimeters long, with a short beak and an elliptic to obovate shape.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 109 sympatric species; distinctive purple coloration of inflorescence
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet places
Elevation: 1800-3700 m
California counties: Fresno, El Dorado, Madera, Tulare, Tuolumne, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Siskiyou, Trinity, Inyo, Mariposa, Shasta, Alpine, Lassen, Del Norte, Calaveras, Humboldt, Modoc
Outside California: to Alaska, Alberta, Utah
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 spectabilis native to California?
Yes. Carex spectabilis is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex spectabilis grow?
Carex spectabilis occurs in Fresno, El Dorado, Madera, Tulare, Tuolumne, Mono, Nevada, Placer and other counties, at elevations of 1800-3700 m.
What plant family does Carex spectabilis belong to?
Carex spectabilis is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex spectabilis grow in?
Carex spectabilis grows in Wet 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.