Home/Species/ Carey's Sedge

Carex careyana

Torr. ex Dewey

Carey's Sedge

G4Apparently Secure (G4G5) Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.132371

Element CodePMCYP032J0

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassMonocotyledoneae

OrderCyperales

FamilyCyperaceae

GenusCarex

Other Common Names

Carex de Carey (FR) Carey's sedge (EN)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Conservation Status

Review Date2002-09-08

Change Date2002-09-08

Edition Date1986-08-06

Edition AuthorsEdmondson, L.

Range Extent20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)

Number of Occurrences21 to >300

Rank Reasons

This species appears to be somewhat rare in some states, but not terribly narrow in range. It is apparently not common anywhere.

Range Extent Comments

New York to Michigan, south to Alabama, Kentucky, & south Missouri. Reported from Arkansas, Maryland, Iowa, Virginia (Rockbridge, Arlington, Fairfax Cos.). Absent from West Virginia.

Occurrences Comments

Not on rare list in MO, OH, IN, MI, so presumably several dozen EO's exist at the very least and possibly thousands.

Threat Impact Comments

Land-use conversion, habitat fragmentation, and forest management practices are threats to this species (Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002).

Ecology & Habitat

Description

Carex careyana is a tufted, perennial, grass-like plant. Its leaves are fairly broad (4-18 mm wide) and have a few strong longitudinal ribs. The bases of the plants have a distinctive purple color. Stems are 34-62 cm tall and arise out of the leaves at the bases of the plants. A few flower/fruit clusters that are 7-18 mm long occur on erect secondary branches off of the main stem. Fruits (perigynia) are 5-6.6 mm long (Bryson and Naczi 2002).

Habitat

Dry or moist rich hardwood forests.

Other Nations (2)

CanadaN3

Province	Rank	Native
Ontario	S3	Yes

United StatesNNR

Province	Rank	Native
Oklahoma	SNR	Yes
West Virginia	S2	Yes
Wisconsin	S1	Yes
Georgia	S1	Yes
Missouri	SNR	Yes
Maryland	S1	Yes
Tennessee	SNR	Yes
Illinois	S2	Yes
Virginia	S3	Yes
Pennsylvania	S1	Yes
Indiana	S4	Yes
Ohio	S5	Yes
Minnesota	S1	Yes
Kentucky	S4	Yes
Iowa	S2	Yes
District of Columbia	SH	Yes
Arkansas	S3	Yes
Alabama	S2	Yes
New York	S1	Yes
North Carolina	S1	Yes
Michigan	SNR	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (2)

Arkansas (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Clifty Canyon	Ozark-St. Francis National Forest	1,963

Missouri (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Swan Creek Rare II Study Area	Mark Twain National Forest	7,310

References (3)

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 23. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Cyperaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 608 pp.
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project. 2002. A partnership between the U.S. Forest Service-Region 8, Natural Heritage Programs in the Southeast, NatureServe, and independent scientists to develop and review data on 1300+ regionally and locally rare species in the Southern Appalachian and Alabama region. Database (Access 97) provided to the U.S. Forest Service by NatureServe, Durham, North Carolina.