Carex ruthii
Mackenzie
Ruth's Sedge
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Janet Wright, CC BY-NC 4.0
Janet Wright, CC BY-NC 4.0
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.129961
Element CodePMCYP03BV0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyCyperaceae
GenusCarex
Synonyms
Carex muricata var. ruthii(Mackenzie) Gleason
Other Common Names
Ruth'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
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2018-07-25
Change Date2018-07-25
Edition Date2018-07-25
Edition AuthorsTreher (2018)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 300
Rank Reasons
Carex ruthii is a southern Appalachian endemic, ranging from southwestern Virginia to western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee to northwestern South Carolina and northeastern Georgia. It is uncommon or infrequent in seepage areas. The species is threatened by wetland alteration and logging activities. Many occurrences are on public lands including, Cherokee National Forest, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Chattahoochee National Forest.
Range Extent Comments
Carex ruthii is a southern Appalachian endemic, ranging from southwestern Virginia south through western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee to northwestern South Carolina and northeastern Georgia (FNA 2002; Weakley 2015).
Occurrences Comments
The number of occurrences for this species is unknown and it is underrepresented by herbarium records in some parts of its range. There are approximately 45 occurrences in Tennessee and Georgia.
Threat Impact Comments
Carex ruthii is threatened by logging activities, wetland alteration, and general loss of natural habitat (Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002).
Ecology & Habitat
Habitat
This species occurs in seepage areas including boggy meadows, open or forested streambanks and springheads (FNA 2002).
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | S2 | Yes |
| South Carolina | S1 | Yes |
| Tennessee | S2 | Yes |
| North Carolina | S3 | Yes |
| Virginia | S3 | Yes |
Threat Assessments
| Threat | Scope | Severity | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 - Biological resource use | Restricted (11-30%) | Unknown | High (continuing) |
| 5.3 - Logging & wood harvesting | Restricted (11-30%) | Unknown | High (continuing) |
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (3)
Georgia (2)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Helton Creek | Chattahoochee National Forest | 2,348 |
| Miller Creek | Chattahoochee National Forest | 701 |
Tennessee (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sycamore Creek | Cherokee National Forest | 6,984 |
References (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.
- 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.
- Weakley, A.S. 2015. Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States. Working Draft of 21 May 2015. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Online. Available: www.herbarium.unc.edu/FloraArchives/WeakleyFlora_2015-05-29.pdf (Accessed 2015).