Home/Species/ Smoky Mountain Sedge

Carex proposita

Mackenzie

Smoky Mountain Sedge

G4Apparently Secure Found in 7 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank

UnknownThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.137287

Element CodePMCYP03B60

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicendemic to a single nation

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassMonocotyledoneae

OrderCyperales

FamilyCyperaceae

GenusCarex

Other Common Names

Great Smoky Mountain Sedge (EN) Great Smoky Mountain sedge (EN) Potato Chip 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 Date2023-07-27

Change Date1994-02-26

Edition Date2023-07-20

Edition AuthorsMorse, Larry E. (1994), rev. Eberly (2023)

Threat ImpactUnknown

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

Number of Occurrences21 - 80

Rank Reasons

Carex proposita is a perennial sedge that is relatively wide ranging in the western United States, but has a spotty distribution and can vary from uncommon to locally common. Threats are not well documented.

Range Extent Comments

Carex proposita is a regional endemic of the western United States occurring in north-central Washington, central Idaho, northwest Wyoming, and the east central California. It is falsely reported from British Columbia. Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1982 and 2023 (CCH2 2023, NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023).

Occurrences Comments

Based on NatureServe Network occurrence data and herbarium records documented between 1982 and 2023, and anecdotal evidence, there are between 21 and 80 occurrences rangewide (CCH2 2023, NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023). It is noted to be uncommon in California (Jepson Flora Project 2023) and rare in Wyoming, with only one known occurrence. There are roughly 12 occurrences in Washington. This species can be locally abundant in Idaho on subalpine and alpine slopes (Moseley and Bernatas 1992).

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species grows on open rocky slopes and ridges near or above timberline (2,400-4,100m), often on talus or granitic substrate (Moseley and Bernatas 1992, FNA 2002b, Jepson Flora Project 2023).

Terrestrial Habitats

AlpineBare rock/talus/scree

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN4

Province	Rank	Native
Wyoming	S1	Yes
Idaho	SNR	Yes
Washington	S2	Yes
California	SNR	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (7)

Idaho (4)

Area	Forest	Acres
Boulder - White Clouds	Sawtooth National Forest	322,653
Boulder - White Clouds	Salmon-Challis National Forest	139,297
Pioneer Mountains	Sawtooth National Forest	119,563
Pioneer Mountains	Salmon-Challis National Forest	172,460

Washington (3)

Area	Forest	Acres
Chelan	Wenatchee National Forest	74,650
Myrtle Lake	Wenatchee National Forest	11,133
Rock Creek	Wenatchee National Forest	32,239

References (7)

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.
Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2023. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (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.
Moseley, R.K., and S. Bernatas. 1992. Vascular Flora of Kane Lake Cirque, Pioneer Mountains, Idaho. The Great Basin naturalist 52(4):335-343.
NatureServe. 2023. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2023. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2023).