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Carex vallicola

Dewey

Valley Sedge

G4Apparently Secure (G4G5) Found in 17 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Medium - lowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.129807
Element CodePMCYP03EA0
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 vallicole (FR) valley 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.
Taxonomic Comments
FNA (2002, vol. 23) does not recognized varieties of Carex vallicola.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2023-08-21
Change Date2023-08-21
Edition Date2023-08-21
Edition AuthorsNordman, C. (2023).
Threat ImpactMedium - low
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Threats may be low to medium impact, including loss of habitat from development, and impacts from OHVs and invasive exotic species.
Range Extent Comments
Valley Sedge (Carex vallicola) occurs in western North America, extending south to central Mexico. It is known in Canada from British Columbia and reported from Yukon, in the United States it is known from Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, and in Mexico from Hidalgo, México, Querétaro and Sonora states. Range extent was estimated to be about 3.17 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1982 and 2023 (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2002, GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, SEINet 2023, Villaseñor 2016).
Occurrences Comments
Based on herbarium records, and photo-based observations documented between 1982 and 2023, and anecdotal evidence, there are over 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, SEINet 2023).
Threat Impact Comments
Valley Sedge (Carex vallicola) occurs in western North America, extending south to central Mexico. There are over 300 occurrences, rangewide. Threats may be low to medium impact, including loss of habitat from development, and impacts from OHVs and invasive exotic species.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species is found in dry to mesic grasslands, open forests, hillsides, and thickets at elevations ranging from 500 to 3000 meters (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2002).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandGrassland/herbaceous
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
WashingtonS2Yes
ArizonaSNRYes
CaliforniaS2Yes
New MexicoSNRYes
MontanaS3Yes
UtahS3Yes
IdahoSNRYes
OregonSNRYes
ColoradoS3Yes
WyomingS4Yes
South DakotaSNRYes
NevadaS3Yes
CanadaN3
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS3Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentRestricted (11-30%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasRestricted (11-30%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
1.3 - Tourism & recreation areasSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (17)
California (3)
AreaForestAcres
FalesHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest9,138
Iceberg - Mill CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest26,988
Wild Horse Mtn. (CA)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest28,822
Nevada (4)
AreaForestAcres
Bunker HillHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest27,569
Charleston - CarpenterHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest17,828
South SchellHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest125,614
Toiyabe RangeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest99,225
Utah (5)
AreaForestAcres
Boulder Mtn. / Boulder Top / Deer LakeDixie National Forest110,690
Box - Death HollowDixie National Forest3,175
Clarkston Mtn.Caribou National Forest7,099
Fishlake MountainFishlake National Forest25,217
Long Neck Mesa / Steep Creek / Oak Creek - Steep Creek / OakDixie National Forest55,489
Washington (1)
AreaForestAcres
Long DrawOkanogan National Forest3,922
Wyoming (4)
AreaForestAcres
Gros Ventre MountainsBridger-Teton National Forest106,418
Laramie PeakMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest28,608
Pacific Creek - Blackrock CreekBridger-Teton National Forest24,658
Spread Creek - Gros Ventre RiverBridger-Teton National Forest166,097
References (7)
  1. 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.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2023. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2023).
  3. iNaturalist. 2023. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2023).
  4. 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.
  5. Munz, P.A., with D.D. Keck. 1959. A California flora. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1681 pp.
  6. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2023. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2023).
  7. Villaseñor, J.L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 87: 559-902.