Carex sprengelii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carex sprengelii |
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| Hanging spikes of seeds nearing maturity | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Carex
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| Species: |
sprengelii
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Carex sprengelii, also known as Sprengel's sedge or long-beaked sedge, is a type of sedge plant. It's special because its seed heads hang downwards. This plant grows naturally in North America.
What is Sprengel's Sedge?
Sprengel's sedge is a plant that grows in North America. It's known for its unique hanging seed heads.
How it Looks
The plant has tall stems, called culms, which are like its main stalks. These culms can grow from 30 to 90 cm (1 to 3 ft) long. Its leaves are thin, about 2.5 to 4 mm (0.10 to 0.16 in) wide, and they are usually shorter than the culms.
On each culm, you'll find 1 to 4 groups of flowers, called spikes. When the plant is flowering, these spikes are close together at the top of the stem. The spike at the very end of the stem usually has only male flowers, or mostly male flowers with a few female ones at the bottom.
Each female spike has between 10 and 40 female flowers. These flowers are spaced about 1 mm (0.04 in) apart. Each spike grows on its own small stalk, called a pedicel. The pedicels get shorter as you go down the stem.
As the female flowers turn into seeds, which are called achenes, their stalks start to droop or nod downwards. Each seed is covered by a special leaf-like part called a bract. This bract has a long, pointed tip that looks like a beak. This "beak" is why the plant is also called "long-beaked sedge."
