Carex fissa

The range of Carex fissa is somewhat restricted; it has been recorded from 28 counties throughout the northern half of Florida (var. aristata), numerous counties in Oklahoma and eastern Texas (var. fissa), and scattered counties in other southeastern and south-central states, including SC, GA, AL, and questionably LA (var. aristata); KS, MO, and AR (var. fissa), and MS (var. aristata in southern MS and var. fissa in northern MS). It is locally abundant in some portions of the range, such as the Big Bend region of Florida, with at least tens of thousands of individuals known. The species' preferred habitat (wet prairies) has been greatly reduced from its historical extent and is not particularly secure; threats include annual herbicide applications along rights-of-way. However, at least in some parts of the range, it still appears to do well in human-modified habitats analogous to wet prairies, such as ditches or wet depressions of improved pastures.

Range somewhat restricted. Recorded from 28 counties throughout the northern half of Florida (var. aristata), numerous counties in Oklahoma and eastern Texas (var. fissa), and scattered counties in other southeastern and south-central states, including SC, GA, AL, and questionably LA (var. aristata); KS, MO, and AR (var. fissa), and MS (var. aristata in southern MS and var. fissa in northern MS).

Occurrences are not mapped comprehensively throughout the range. C. fissa var. aristata appears to be most abundant in Florida, where it has been recorded from 28 counties (Kartesz 2010) and is fairly common in at least the Big Bend region, where it can be found in both natural settings and disturbed areas such as roadsides (L. Anderson pers. comm. 2010). It is ranked S3S4 in Mississippi, with records from Forrest County and probably Pearl River County (C. Bryson and H. Sullivan pers. comm. 2010). C. fissa var. fissa has been reported from 27 counties in eastern Texas (Kartesz 2010), but these records are in need of comprehensive review by an expert (J. Poole and J. Singhurst, pers. comm. 2010); nineteen C. fissa var. fissa occurrences are believed extant in Oklahoma with an additional ten historical. Both varieties have been also reported from less than five occurrences in each of several other southern states; var. aristata in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and (questionably) Louisiana, and var. fissa in Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and Mississippi (Benton County).

Threatened by herbicide applications along rights-of-way (C. Bryson, pers. comm. 2010).