Carex stylosa C.A. Mey.
long-styled sedge (variegated sedge)
Cyperaceae (Sedge family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Adolf Ceska     (Photo ID #25727)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

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

Species Information

General:
Perennial, tufted herb from short, stout rhizomes; stems 15-40 cm tall, exceeding the leaves.
Leaves:
Sheaths purplish-red towards the bases; blades flat, 2-6 mm wide, the lower ones not reduced.
Flowers:
Spikes 3 to 5, the terminal one with male flowers, the lower spikes 2 to 4, with female flowers, 0.5-2 cm long, short-stalked, erect; bracts subtending the spikes sheathless, bristlelike to scalelike, shorter than the inflorescence.
Fruits:
Perigynia egg-shaped, 2.5-3.5 mm long, 1.5-1.8 mm wide, green, brown to dark brown, nerveless, the beaks obscure, less than 0.3 mm long; female scales lanceolate, shorter and narrower than the perigynia, pointed at the tips, brown, with light brown margins; styles prominently exserted, stigmas 3; achenes 3-angled, 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 stylosa

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)
250 0 1740
Slope Gradient (%)
17 0 73

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

337 5 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
5 2 7
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
59
Modal BEC Zone Class
CWH

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

BWBS(1), CWH(49), ESSF(2), MH(6)

Habitat and Range

Marshes, fens, bogs and moist to wet meadows and gravelly sites in the lowland to alpine zones; frequent in coastal BC; circumpolar, N to AK, YT and NT, disjunct E to NF and S to NW WA; Greenland, N Europe and E Asia.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Carex stylosa var. nigritella (Drejer) Fernald