Carex scopulorum T. Holm
Holm's Rocky Mountain sedge (mountain sedge)
Cyperaceae (Sedge family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Curtis Bjork     (Photo ID #19090)

Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Carex scopulorum
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Species Information

General:
Perennial, clumped herb from short rhizomes; stems triangular with rough edges, 10-65 cm tall, exceeding the leaves.
Leaves:
Sheaths tight, short; blades flat, well distributed along the stem, 3-6 mm wide, the lower ones reduced.
Flowers:
Spikes 3 or 4, the terminal spike with male flowers, the lower spikes 2 or 3, with female flowers (sometimes with male flowers at the tips), unstalked or with short stalks, 0.5-2.5 cm long, erect; lowermost bract subtending the spikes scalelike, sheathless, with black ear-shaped lobes, the upper ones reduced.
Fruits:
Perigynia broadly egg-shaped, 2-4 mm long, 1.2-2.3 mm wide, brownish-green, 3-angled, the angles rounded, smooth to somewhat wrinkled, beakless; female scales egg-shaped, shorter or longer than the perigynia, brownish-red to purplish-black, with lighter 3-nerved centres and translucent margins; stigmas 2; achenes lens-shaped, 1.2-1.7 mm long.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

USDA Species Characteristics

Flower Colour:
Purple
Blooming Period:
Late Spring
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present over the Summer
Source:  The USDA

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Carex scopulorum

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)
 1721 350 2150
Slope Gradient (%)
 2 0 15

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

 296 14 332
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric] 		6 5 8
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
 D
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
 36
Modal BEC Zone Class
 ESSF

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

 BG(1), ESSF(26), MS(7), SBS(2)

Habitat and Range

Shorelines, streambanks and wet to moist meadows in the montane to alpine zones; rare in SC BC; E to SW AB and S to CO, AZ and CA.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

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