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Carex jamesii

Schwein.

James' Sedge

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G5SecureGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.155073

Element CodePMCYP036P0

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 de James (FR) Grass Sedge (EN) James' sedge (EN) James's 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 MethodExpertise without calculation

Review Date2016-07-21

Change Date1985-04-05

Range Extent200,000 to >2,500,000 square km (about 80,000 to >1,000,000 square miles)

Range Extent Comments

Carex jamesii occurs from northwestern New York west to southern Ontario, southern Wisconsin, and southeastern Minnesota south to western South Carolina, northern Alabama, northern Mississippi, Arkansas, and eastern Oklahoma. It is very common in most of this range except east of Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama where it is rare (Naczi and Ford 2001).

Ecology & Habitat

Description

A densely tufted grass like plant, this sedge has leaves 1.2-3.5 mm wide and deep green. The leaves are up to 59 cm long. The flowers and fruits are borne as clusters (spikes) (6.4-15.7 mm long) at the tip of stalks that are slightly to much shorter than the leaves. Although the spikes are relatively small and inconspicuous they should be sought for positive identification.

Other Nations (2)

CanadaN4

Province	Rank	Native
Ontario	S4	Yes

United StatesNNR

Province	Rank	Native
District of Columbia	S1	Yes
Texas	SNR	Yes
Missouri	SNR	Yes
Wisconsin	SNR	Yes
Virginia	S4	Yes
Nebraska	S4	Yes
Maryland	S4	Yes
Michigan	S3	Yes
Arkansas	S5	Yes
Minnesota	S2	Yes
Kansas	S3	Yes
Oklahoma	SNR	Yes
Illinois	S3	Yes
New York	S2	Yes
Tennessee	SNR	Yes
Mississippi	S1	Yes
New Jersey	S1	Yes
Indiana	S5	Yes
Kentucky	S5	Yes
Alabama	SNR	Yes
Pennsylvania	S4	Yes
North Carolina	S2	Yes
Delaware	S1	Yes
Iowa	S3	Yes
Ohio	SNR	Yes
South Carolina	S1	Yes
West Virginia	S4	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (2)

Arkansas (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Clifty Canyon	Ozark-St. Francis National Forest	1,963

Indiana (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Mogan Ridge	Hoosier National Forest	8,435

References (3)

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.
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.
Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2025. Flora of the southeastern United States Web App. Edition of February 18, 2025. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Online. Available: https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu (accessed 2025).