Carex anthoxanthea J. Presl & C. Presl
yellow-flowered sedge (grassyslope arctic sedge)
Cyperaceae (Sedge family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Ryan Batten     (Photo ID #25798)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Carex anthoxanthea
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from creeping rhizomes; stems 5-40 cm tall, equalling the leaves or nearly so, roughened above.
Leaves:
Sheaths short, greenish-whitish; blades 2 to 4 from near the base, flat, 1-2 mm wide, the lower ones lacking or reduced, roughened at the tips.
Flowers:
Spikes solitary, with both female and male flowers, the male flowers towards the tips, 1-3 cm long, 2-3 mm wide, erect; bract subtending the spike lacking.
Fruits:
Perigynia lanceolate to narrowly elliptical, 3.8-4.2 mm long, 1.3-1.6 mm wide, yellowish-green to straw-coloured, obscurely compressed-triangular, smooth, many-nerved, the beaks about 1 mm long; female scales lanceolate, shorter or longer than the perigynia, the lower ones awn-tipped, the upper ones round-tipped, dark brown with 1- to 3-nerved green centres; stigmas 3, rarely 2; achenes 3-angled, granular, 1.3-1.5 mm long.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Carex anthoxanthea

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
457 2 2120
Slope Gradient (%)
22 0 120

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

63 0 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
5 0 8
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
215
Modal BEC Zone Class
CWH

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

AT(3), BAFA(3), BWBS(1), CMA(6), CWH(143), ESSF(15), MH(41), PP(1), SWB(1)

Habitat and Range

Fens, bogs and bog forests from the montane to subalpine zones; frequent in coastal BC, rare in NW BC; amphiberingian, N to AK, YT and NT, S to WA; E Asia.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia