(Pers.) Poir.
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.128098
Element CodePMCYP03280
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyCyperaceae
GenusCarex
Other Common Namesbrownish sedge (EN) Carex brunâtre (FR)
Concept ReferenceKartesz, 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 CommentsToivonen's treatment in FNA (2002, vol. 23) accepts two subspecies of C. brunnescens: ssp. sphaerostachya and the typical, including ssp. alaskana and ssp. pacifica as indistinct from the typical. Weakley et al. (2025), noting that Maguilla et al. (2015) found no conclusive support for or against recognizing infraspecific taxa, recognize C. brunnescens var. sphaerostachya rather than accepting it at the subspecies rank.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-06-25
Change Date1984-02-24
Edition Date2025-06-25
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank ReasonsCarex brunnescens is a wide-ranging perennial graminoid in a variety of habitat types. It has a circumboreal distribution, occurring in North America from Alaska, United States and throughout Canada south in the northern United States, much of the western United States, and in the mountains of the eastern United States to northern Georgia; it also occurs in Eurasia. There are estimated to be thousands of occurrences worldwide, which face threats from development, rights-of-way maintenance, hydrological alteration, 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, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent CommentsCarex brunnescens has a circumboreal distribution, occurring in North America from Alaska, United States and throughout Canada south in the western United States to California east to Colorado and South Dakota, and in the eastern United States to northern Georgia, Illinois, and Minnesota; it also occurs in Eurasia (FNA 2002). Range extent was estimated to be over 70 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). See individual entries for distribution details about the subspecific taxa.
Occurrences CommentsBy applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are thousands occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact CommentsAlthough threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, hydrological alteration, 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, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.