Home/Species/ Native Sedge

Carex vernacula

Bailey

Native Sedge

G4Apparently Secure Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank

Medium - lowThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.145887

Element CodePMCYP03EC0

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicendemic to a single nation

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassMonocotyledoneae

OrderCyperales

FamilyCyperaceae

GenusCarex

Synonyms

Carex foetida var. vernacula(Bailey) Kukenth.

Other Common Names

native 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 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 Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)

Number of Occurrences81 - 300

Rank Reasons

Native Sedge (Carex vernacula) occurs in alpine and subalpine woodland openings in the Sierra Nevada of California and the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, it also occurs less commonly in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Wyoming. It is estimated there are between 81 and 300 occurrences, including many on National Forests and National Parks. Threats are those affecting alpine areas, such as recreation impacts and long-term or extreme drought such as may be associated with climate change.

Range Extent Comments

Native Sedge (Carex vernacula) occurs in alpine and subalpine woodland openings in the Sierra Nevada of California and the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, it also occurs less commonly in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Wyoming. Range extent was estimated to be 920,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1992 and 2023 (CCH2 Portal 2023, Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2002, GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, SEINet 2023).

Occurrences Comments

By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1992 and 2023, it is estimated that there are between 81 and 300 occurrences rangewide (CCH2 portal 2023, GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, SEINet 2023).

Threat Impact Comments

Threats to Native Sedge (Carex vernacula) are those affecting alpine areas, these may include recreation impacts and long-term or extreme drought such as may be associated with climate change.

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species occurs in moist, subalpine (just below treeline) forest openings, and moist alpine tundra, along melting snowbanks and alpine streams, at elevations from 2000 to 3800 meters (Ackerfield 2015, Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2002).

Reproduction

Fruiting in July to September (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2002).

Terrestrial Habitats

Forest/WoodlandForest EdgeAlpineTundra

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN4

Province	Rank	Native
Colorado	S3	Yes
Wyoming	S2	Yes
Washington	SNR	Yes
Idaho	S3	Yes
Nevada	S1	Yes
California	SNR	Yes
Oregon	S2	Yes

Threat Assessments

Threat	Scope	Severity	Timing
6 - Human intrusions & disturbance	Small (1-10%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activities	Small (1-10%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
11 - Climate change & severe weather	Large (31-70%)	Moderate - slight	High (continuing)
11.2 - Droughts	Large (31-70%)	Moderate - slight	High (continuing)

Plant Characteristics

DurationPERENNIAL

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (4)

California (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Night	Stanislaus National Forest	3,173

Oregon (3)

Area	Forest	Acres
Boulder Park	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	12,141
Drake - Mcdowell	Fremont National Forest	5,767
Little Sheep	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	5,238

References (8)

Ackerfield, J. 2015. Flora of Colorado. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, TX. 818 pp.
CCH2 Portal. 2023. Consortium of California Herbaria. Online. Available: https//:www.cch2.org/portal/index.php (accessed 2023).
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.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2023. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2023).
iNaturalist. 2023. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2023).
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.
Munz, P.A., with D.D. Keck. 1959. A California flora. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1681 pp.
Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2023. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2023).

Carex vernacula

Habitat

Reproduction

—