Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Northeast Wetland Flora
Field Office Guide to Plant Species
Carex abscondita Mackenz.
- Family: Sedge (Cyperaceae)
- Flowering: May-July
- Field Marks: This species is readily recognized by its short flowering stems often hidden by
the longer leaves, its sharply triangular perigynia with round-tipped female scales, and its
separate male spike about equalling the upper female spike.
- Habitat: Dry or occasionally moist woods.
- Habit: Tufted perennial from short rootstocks.
- Stems: Upright, unbranched, smooth or slightly rough, up to 8 inches tall, usually hidden by
the long leaves, brown-tinged at the base.
- Leaves: Elongated, flat, pale green to glaucous, smooth or slightly roughened, up to
1/2 inch wide.
- Flowers: Male and female borne in separate spikes; male spike solitary, terminal, sessile, up
to 1/2 inch long, not surpassing the uppermost female spike; female spikes 2-3, stalked,
oblong-cylindric, up to 3/4 inch long, surpassed by the leaf-like bracts.
- Sepals: 0.
- Petals: 0.
- Stamens: 3.
- Pistils: Enclosed in a perigynium, with 3-10 perigynia per spike, the perigynia ovoid,
smooth, sharply triangular, many-nerved, tawny, up to 1/6 inch long, short-beaked or
beakless; female scales ovate, rounded at the tip, about half as long as the perigynium;
- Fruits: Achenes triangular, brownish, short-pointed at the tip, about 1/8 inch long.
Return to Species List -- Group 3
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