Carex vesicaria
Inflated sedge, Inflated Sedge
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Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex vesicaria (Inflated sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by distinctive inflated perigynia with prominent teeth.
Inflated sedge is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, central coast, San Francisco Bay Area, and North Coast Ranges in wet places and shallow water at elevations below 3,300 meters. Flowering from late spring to summer, this sedge produces gold to purple-tinged flower bracts in dense, angular clusters. Growing with sharp-angled stems 15 to 105 centimeters tall that are rough near the flower clusters, it forms dense tufts with short underground rhizomes. Its leaves are relatively narrow, measuring 1.8 to 6.5 millimeters wide, and typically shorter than the flowering stems. The plant produces distinctive inflated, green to brown fruit cases that are 1.7 to 2.3 millimeters long with short beaks and erect to slightly curved teeth.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 132 sympatric species; distinctive inflated perigynia with prominent teeth
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet places, shallow water
Elevation: < 3300 m
California counties: Fresno, Alpine, El Dorado, Humboldt, Mariposa, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Inyo, Butte, Amador, Mono, Lassen, Madera, Calaveras, Del Norte, Lake, Marin, Santa Cruz
Outside California: to British Columbia, eastern North America, Eurasia
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 vesicaria native to California?
Yes. Carex vesicaria is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex vesicaria grow?
Carex vesicaria occurs in Fresno, Alpine, El Dorado, Humboldt, Mariposa, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada and other counties, at elevations of < 3300 m.
What plant family does Carex vesicaria belong to?
Carex vesicaria is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex vesicaria grow in?
Carex vesicaria grows in Wet places, shallow water.
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.