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Carex idahoa

Bailey

Idaho Sedge

G3Vulnerable Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.133246
Element CodePMCYP036E0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyCyperaceae
GenusCarex
Synonyms
Carex parryana ssp. idahoa(Bailey) D.F. Murr.
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.
Taxonomic Comments
According to Reznicek and Murray (2013), "In order to be consistent with the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, Boivin (1979, p. 87) considered the correct spelling of the epithet to be idahoana, the adjectival form of Idaho. While idahoana may be more correct linguistically, the spelling idahoa is not a correctable error covered by the Code, and we retain Bailey’s original spelling." In addition, they say, "Carex hallii reports from California, as C. parryana var. hallii (e.g., Mastrogiuseppe 1993), were redetermined as C. idahoa."
Conservation Status
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2018-01-19
Change Date2016-05-19
Edition Date2018-01-19
Edition AuthorsHeidel, B.(1999), rev. S. Mincemoyer (2007), rev. A. Treher (2016, 2018)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 300
Rank Reasons
Occurs in southwestern Montana and adjacent Idaho and in Oregon, California, and Utah. This species occurs in low numbers at many sites and its habitat has been impacted by livestock grazing. Known from at least 85 extant and/or presumed extant occurrence in Montana. There about 5-10 historical occurrences and occurrences with very little survey data. Additional survey and monitoring data are needed to clarify abundance, distribution, and threats to the species across its range. Surveys from 2010 to 2015 in California, revealed a better picture of the species range in the White Mountains.
Range Extent Comments
Occurs in southwestern Montana, Idaho, California, Oregon, and Utah (FNA 2002 and Baldwin et al. 2012).
Occurrences Comments
There are at least 85 extant occurrences. There is one to three extant occurrence in the White Mountains of California (SEINET 2018), fifteen extant occurrences in Idaho, at least 50 in Montana, and seventeen extant occurrences in Oregon. There are an additional 5 to 10 occurrences that are historic.
Threat Impact Comments
Threatened by heavy grazing, trampling, and accompanying Poa pratensis invasion; also potentially affected by haying, mining, and road developments.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Idaho sedge is a rhizomatous perennial producing small clumps of stems that reach 20-35 cm in height. The flat leaves are 2-4 mm in width and most are crowded near the base of the plant. Flowers are borne in 1 to 4 oblong-cylindrical spikes, each 1-3 cm long, with the uppermost being larger than the others. The spikes form a narrow, interrupted head, subtended by small leaf-like bracts at the top of the stems. Male flowers are absent or scattered among the female perigynia on the largest spike. Each perigynium is subtended by a narrowly oval, brown scale 2 to 3 times its length, with a tapered tip, membranous margins and a distinct pale center. The glabrous, egg-shaped perigynia are yellow-green and about 3 mm long, with a short beak. There are 3 stigmas and the seed is 3-sided.

Diagnostic Characteristics

The large terminal spike and the long, female scales that are at least twice as long as the perigynia are distinctive and separate this plant from the other varieties of C. PARRYANA (when treated as C. P. SSP. IDAHOA). However, CAREX is a large genus, which can make identification of individual species difficult. A hand lens or microscope and technical key are essential for positive determination.

Habitat

Moist, alkaline meadows of mountain valleys.
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaS1Yes
IdahoS2Yes
OregonS1Yes
UtahS1Yes
MontanaS3Yes
WyomingSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
California (2)
AreaForestAcres
Coyote NorthInyo National Forest11,932
Nevahbe RidgeInyo National Forest302
References (10)
  1. Bailey, L. H. 1896. Notes on <i>Carex</i>. XVIII. The Botanical Gazette 21: 1-8.
  2. Baldwin, B. G., D. H. Goldman, D. J. Keil, R. Patterson, T. J. Rosatti, and D. H. Wilken, eds. 2012. The Jepson manual: vascular plants of California. 2nd edition. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 1568 pp.
  3. Davis, R.J. 1952. Flora of Idaho. Brigham Young Univ. Press, Provo, UT. 836 pp.
  4. 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.
  5. Hahn, B.E. 1977. Flora of Montana: conifers and monocots. Montana State Univ., Bozeman.
  6. Hermann, F. J. 1970. Manual of the Carices of the Rocky Mountains and Colorado Basin. Agriculture Handbook No. 374. USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC. 397 pp.
  7. 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.
  8. Murray, D.F. 1969. Taxonomy of Carex sect. Atratae (Cyperaceae) in the southern Rocky Mountains. Brittonia 21:55-76.
  9. Reznicek, A., and D. Murray. 2013. A re-evaluation of <i>Carex specuicola </i>and the <i>Carex parryana </i>complex (Cyperaceae). Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 7(1): 37-51.
  10. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2018. Collections Databases. Online. Available: http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/ (accessed 2018).