Carex aboriginum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carex aboriginum |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Carex
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| Species: |
aboriginum
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Carex aboriginum is a special type of grass-like plant called a sedge. It's also known as Indian Valley sedge. This plant only grows in Idaho, in the western United States. For a long time, from 1910 to 1999, no one saw this plant in the wild. People thought it was the only plant from Idaho that had completely disappeared. But it was found again! Today, it's still one of Idaho's rarest and most endangered plants.
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What Does the Indian Valley Sedge Look Like?
The Indian Valley sedge grows in clumps, like small grassy bushes. These clumps are usually about 55 to 80 centimeters (about 22 to 31 inches) tall. Its leaves are long and thin, about 3 to 4.5 millimeters wide.
This plant also grows special flower clusters called inflorescences. These clusters have small spikes. Some spikes are female, and some are male. Each spike is usually about 15 to 30 millimeters long and 9 to 12 millimeters wide.
Where Does the Indian Valley Sedge Live?
The Carex aboriginum is only found in a small area near Council, Idaho. This area is in Adams County, Idaho. It grows at altitudes between 2,875 and 4,445 feet high.
The total area where it lives is quite small. It's about 25 miles long and 10 miles wide. This specific part of Idaho, around Indian Valley, is not known for having many unique plants. However, the Indian Valley sedge is one of the special plants found there.
How Was It Discovered?
A scientist named Marcus E. Jones first described the Indian Valley sedge in 1910. He wrote about it in an article about plants in Montana. The first place it was found was near a town called Salubria. This town no longer exists. It was across the Weiser River from Cambridge, Idaho.
The Indian Valley sedge belongs to a group of sedges called Carex section Racemosae. Scientists think its closest relative is a plant called C. serratodens. That plant grows in Oregon, California, and Arizona. You can tell the two species apart by the size of their tiny fruits, called utricles.
Why Is This Plant Important?
The areas where the Indian Valley sedge grows are mostly sagebrush steppe. This means the land is covered by plants like sagebrush and other grasses. Much of this land has been used for grazing animals like cattle.
The Indian Valley sedge flowers earlier than many other sedges in its area. It usually blooms from mid-May to early June.
Rediscovery of a "Lost" Plant
After Marcus Jones found the plant in 1910, no one saw it again for almost 90 years. Because of this, the Indian Valley sedge was thought to be the only plant native to Idaho that had become extinct.
But in 1999, a student named Curtis Bjork made an amazing discovery. He found a group of Carex aboriginum plants! He found them near Goodrich, which is close to Council, Idaho. This was a very exciting moment for plant scientists!
Even though it was found again, Carex aboriginum is still very rare. It is considered one of the most endangered plant species in Idaho. It is not officially listed under the Endangered Species Act, but it is still a plant that needs our protection.
