Boeckl.
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.142796
Element CodePMCYP038H0
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 NamesCarex de Michaux (FR) Michaux's sedge (EN)
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 Comments"Carex michauxiana is closely related to the east Asian C. dolichocarpa C. A. Meyer ex V. I. Kreczetowicz" (FNA 2002, vol. 23).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-07-14
Change Date1984-02-29
Edition Date2025-07-14
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 michauxiana is a wide-ranging perennial graminoid in a variety of open wetland habitats, including bogs, fens, lakeshores, stream banks, and open seeps. It occurs in northeastern North America from Newfoundland Island and Labrador west to Saskatchewan, Canada south to Massachusetts and New York west to Minnesota and disjunct in western Maryland in the United States. There are approximately 400 estimated occurrences, which face threats from development, rights-of-way maintenance, inadequate logging buffers, recreational activities (especially off-road vehicles), hydrological alteration, and invasive species. 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 michauxiana occurs in northeastern North America from Newfoundland Island and Labrador west to Saskatchewan, Canada south to Massachusetts and New York west to Minnesota and disjunct in western Maryland (historic) in the United States (FNA 2002, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). Range extent was estimated to be approximately 4 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).
Occurrences CommentsBy 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 approximately 400 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact CommentsAlthough threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, inadequate logging buffers, recreational activities (especially off-road vehicles), 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 and large number of occurrences.