Bristly-stalked sedge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bristly-stalked sedge |
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Carex microstachys |
Carex leptalea is a type of sedge, which is a plant that looks a lot like grass. It has a few common names like bristly-stalked sedge and flaccid sedge. This plant grows naturally across a large part of North America. You can find it in most of Canada, the Dominican Republic, and the United States. It especially loves to grow in wetlands, which are areas like swamps or marshes.
What It Looks Like
This sedge grows in thick groups. Its stems can reach up to 70 centimeters (about 28 inches) tall. These stems grow from a network of branching rhizomes. Rhizomes are like underground stems that help the plant spread.
The leaves of the bristly-stalked sedge are thin and a deep green color. They are soft and do not have any hairs. Sometimes, the leaves might even droop a little.
Flowers and Seeds
The plant produces small flower clusters called inflorescences. These are usually yellow-green and can be up to 16 millimeters (about 0.6 inches) long. However, they are very narrow, only about 2 to 3 millimeters wide.
Each small flower cluster has only a few seed-like structures called perigynia. These perigynia are green and have visible veins on them.
Different Kinds
There are a few different types, or subspecies, of Carex leptalea. These different types grow in various parts of North America:
- One type, called Carex leptalea subsp. harperi, is found in the southeastern United States. This includes states from Texas and Florida up to Missouri and Pennsylvania.
- The most common type is Carex leptalea subsp. leptalea. It grows widely from Alaska in the north to Nunavut in Canada. It also grows south into California and the Dominican Republic.
- Another type, Carex leptalea subsp. pacifica, is found in specific areas. These include Washington State, British Columbia in Canada, and southeastern Alaska.
