Carex straminiformis
Mount shasta sedge, Mount Shasta Sedge
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex straminiformis (Mount shasta sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by distinctive broad perigynia with crinkled wings.
Mount shasta sedge is a California native perennial sedge found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Warner Mountains, and eastern Sierra Nevada on dry rocky or gravelly slopes at elevations of 1,700 to 4,100 meters. Its inflorescence produces distinctive spikelets with red-brown to white bracts, featuring a pale green center with white margins. Growing with relatively narrow leaves 3 to 4 millimeters wide that are flat or folded, often with cross-wrinkled sheaths, this sedge forms dense clumps. Its leaves have a small ligule measuring 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters long, with distinctive leaf sheaths that show interesting textural wrinkles. The fruit is small, approximately 1.7 to 2.4 millimeters long, with a gold or green perimeter and a beak 1.2 to 1.5 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 110 sympatric species; distinctive broad perigynia with crinkled wings
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Dry rocky or gravelly slopes
Elevation: 1700-4100 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Fresno, Mono, Alpine, El Dorado, Inyo, Madera, Mariposa, Nevada, Tulare, Tuolumne, Placer, Butte, Modoc, Tehama, Shasta, Amador, Lassen, Sierra, Plumas, Glenn, Humboldt, Trinity
Outside California: to Washington, also Montana, 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 straminiformis native to California?
Yes. Carex straminiformis is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex straminiformis grow?
Carex straminiformis occurs in Siskiyou, Fresno, Mono, Alpine, El Dorado, Inyo, Madera, Mariposa and other counties, at elevations of 1700-4100 m.
What plant family does Carex straminiformis belong to?
Carex straminiformis is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex straminiformis grow in?
Carex straminiformis grows in Common. Dry rocky or gravelly 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.