Carex praticola

This record is for the broad treatment of Carex praticola, including C. platylepis and C. piperi, as indistinct, as recognized by Mastrogiuseppe et al. in FNA (2002, vol 23). Kartesz (1994, 1999) recognizes the three as distinct species and therefore a narrower C. praticola.

Carex praticola is a wide-ranging perennial graminoid found in meadows, open dry woods, and rocky areas. It occurs predominantly in western North America and uncommonly in northeastern North America, from Alaska, United States, east to Labrador and Quebec, Canada, south to Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Colorado west to California in the United States; it also occurs in Greenland and is introduced in Illinois and southern Ontario. There are over 300 estimated occurrences, which face threats from development, grazing and trampling by livestock, logging, invasive species, and other threats in some places. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, and broad habitat preferences, this species is considered secure.

Carex praticola occurs predominantly in western North America and uncommonly in northeastern North America, from Alaska, United States, east to Labrador and Quebec, Canada, south to Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Colorado west to California in the United States (FNA 2002). It also occurs in Greenland and is introduced in Illinois and southern Ontario (FNA 2002). Native range extent was estimated to be over 12 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).

By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).

Although threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by development, grazing and trampling by livestock, logging, invasive species, and other threats in some places, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species (NatureServe 2025). However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and affinity for typically abundant habitats.