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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. | |||||||||
| BRISTLELEAF SEDGE | |||||||||
| LATIN NAME: Carex eburnea | |||||||||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | |||||||||
| Bristleleaf sedge grows as tall as 30 cm from a long, slender, creeping rhizome. The stems are tufted among dead leaves and basal sheaths from the previous years’ growth. The leaves are basal or low on the stem and are thread-like. The inflorescence is made of three or four spikes. The terminal spike is male flowered and is often hidden by the lower female spikes. The female spikes are on long stalks and appear whitish or pale brown because of the colour of the scales. There are two to six perigynia per female spike. The perigynia are pale green but become dark brown and glossy with age. The beak is short and without teeth. The flower has three stigmas and produces a three-angled achene. | |||||||||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | |||||||||
| Bristleleaf sedge grows in woods or shrublands. | |||||||||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | |||||||||
| This species is widespread in Saskatchewan and is found in the following ecoregions: Mixed Grassland, Moist Mixed Grassland, Aspen Parkland, Boreal Transition, Athabasca Plain, and Tazin Lake Upland. | |||||||||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | |||||||||
| Bristleleaf sedge is vulnerable because, although it occurs in a wide range, it is rare or uncommon in Saskatchewan and most local populations are small. No immediate threats are known at the present time. | |||||||||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY BRISTLELEAF SEDGE | |||||||||
| * Is the male spike hidden by the female spikes? * Are the leaves thread-like? * Do the female flowers have three stigmas? * Did you find it in the woods or a shrubland in Saskatchewan? | |||||||||
| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found bristleleaf sedge! | |||||||||
