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Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
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| THE SEDGE FAMILY | |||||||||
| The sedge family is widespread around
the world, but these plants are usually found in damp habitats in subarctic
to temperate regions. The sedge family is very large, with approximately
5,315 species! There is a lot of variability within the family, but in general,
they are perennial herbs. The stems are solid and are frequently three sided.
The leaves are in three vertical rows. The basal sheath of the leaves is
closed. The leaves are linear and have the parallel venation typical of
the monocots. The inflorescences vary greatly among genera. In general,
flowers are in spikes or spikelets which are arranged into spikes, racemes,
panicles and umbrella-like clusters. In each spike there are bracts, usually
at least one per flower. The flowers are reduced, meaning that they do not
have obvious sepals and petals. The sepals and petals, if present, are often
in the form of bristles, scales or hairs. There are three stamens and two
or three carpels. The flowers may have both male and female parts or only
one of the two. In one of the largest genera, Carex, the ovary is enclosed
in a sac-like bract called the perigynium. The fruits are single-seeded,
lens-shaped or triangular structures called achenes. The sedges are an ecologically important family in Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan has 149 species belonging to the Cyperaceae. | |||||||||
| ASSINIBOIA SEDGE | |||||||||
| LATIN NAME: Carex assiniboinensis | |||||||||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | |||||||||
| Assiniboia sedge is 30 to 70 cm tall in flower. Stems without flowers can grow as tall as 100 cm. The rhizome, though present, is not easily located. The tufted stems grow from thin, fibrous roots. The stem produces long, arching runners that root at the tip and form new plants in the late summer. The leaves and the stems are lax and drooping. The leaves on the sterile stems have thread-like tips. The male and female spikes are on the same plant. The single male-flowered spike is associated with a bract that may contain a single perigynium in the axil. There are three to four female-flowered spikes spread out over 10 to 20 cm intervals. Each female-flowered spike is on a long, thread-like stalk. The female spikes each have two to six flowers, each with a membranous scale. The scales are translucent, except for a green midrib, which may project as an awn. The perigynia is green to yellowish-brown and densely hairy. The perigynia beak is 3 to 4 mm long with a membranous tip. There are three stigmas and the achene is three-angled. | |||||||||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | |||||||||
| Assiniboia sedge grows in deciduous, hardwood forests and shrub thickets. | |||||||||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | |||||||||
| This species grows in southeastern and central Saskatchewan in the Moist Mixed Grassland, Aspen Parkland, and Mid-Boreal Lowland ecoregions. | |||||||||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | |||||||||
| Assiniboia sedge is vulnerable in Saskatchewan. This species is locally numerous in a wide range in Saskatchewan but occurs in limited areas. No immediate threats are known for this species. | |||||||||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY ASSINIBOIA SEDGE | |||||||||
| *Are the female-flowered spikes widely spaced? * Are the male and female flowers in separate spikes? * Are the leaves and stem lax and drooping? * Did you find it in southeastern or central Saskatchewan? | |||||||||
| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found Assiniboia sedge! | |||||||||
