Black alpine sedge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carex nigricans |
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C. nigricans
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| Carex nigricans C.A.Mey.
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Carex nigricans is a type of plant called a sedge. It is commonly known as the black alpine sedge. This plant is a member of the grass family, but it's not a true grass. It often grows in cool, wet places.
Where Does Black Alpine Sedge Grow?
This special sedge is found in the western parts of North America. You can find it all the way from Alaska down to the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. It also grows as far east as Colorado.
It loves to live in wet areas. You'll often see it in mountain regions. It also thrives in taiga and tundra habitats. Taiga is a cold forest, and tundra is a very cold, treeless plain.
What Does Black Alpine Sedge Look Like?
Carex nigricans grows in thick mats or loose clumps. Its stems can reach up to 30 centimeters (about 12 inches) tall. These stems grow from a network of short underground stems called rhizomes. Rhizomes help the plant spread and form new clumps.
The plant has special flowers. The female flowers have dark leaf-like parts called bracts. After the flowers, the plant produces fruit. Each fruit is covered by a dark, protective case called a perigynium. This perigynium has a long, pointed tip.
