Carex whitneyi
Whitney's sedge
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex whitneyi (Whitney's sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by distinctive hairy leaves and large glabrous perigynia.
Whitney's sedge is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California Ranges, and northern and central Sierra Nevada Mountains in dry, sandy or gravelly meadows and open forests at elevations of 1,200 to 3,400 meters. Its flowers emerge with white-margined bracts on lateral spikelets, creating distinctive clusters. Growing in dense tufts with stems 25 to 100 centimeters tall and brown to red-brown bases, this sedge forms robust clumps in mountain landscapes. Its leaf blades are 2 to 6 millimeters wide, covered with long, soft hairs and featuring brownish sheath fronts. The plant produces fruit 2.8 to 3.9 millimeters long with green perigynia that have strong 5-veined surfaces and subtle white-tipped beaks.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 99 sympatric species; distinctive hairy leaves and large glabrous perigynia
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry, sandy or gravelly meadows, open forest
Elevation: 1200-3400 m
California counties: Mono, Alpine, Fresno, Lassen, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tuolumne, Butte, Inyo, El Dorado, Calaveras, Amador, Modoc, Madera, Tulare, Sierra, Tehama, Trinity, Santa Barbara
Outside California: Oregon, western Nevada
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 whitneyi native to California?
Yes. Carex whitneyi is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex whitneyi grow?
Carex whitneyi occurs in Mono, Alpine, Fresno, Lassen, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas and other counties, at elevations of 1200-3400 m.
What plant family does Carex whitneyi belong to?
Carex whitneyi is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex whitneyi grow in?
Carex whitneyi grows in Dry, sandy or gravelly meadows, open forest.
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.