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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. | |||||||||
| ROCKY MOUNTAIN SEDGE | |||||||||
| LATIN NAME: Carex saximontana | |||||||||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | |||||||||
| Rocky Mountain sedge is a small tufted plant that grows from a short rootstock. The stems are narrowly winged. The spike is terminal and solitary with the male flowers above the female flowers in the same spike. There are usually two or three male flowers and two to six female flowers per spike. The male flower scales are green or white. The female flower scales cover the perigynia and may have an awn at the tip. The perigynia are nearly round and have many faint nerves. | |||||||||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | |||||||||
| Rocky Mountain sedge grows in valleys and aspen groves. | |||||||||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | |||||||||
| This species is found in southern Saskatchewan in the Moist Mixed Grassland and Aspen Parkland ecoregions. | |||||||||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | |||||||||
| No information is available regarding the vulnerable status of this species. It is likely uncommon or underreported in Saskatchewan. | |||||||||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY ROCKY MOUNTAIN SEDGE | |||||||||
| * Is there only one terminal spike per stem? * Are the male flowers above the female flowers? * Are the stems narrowly winged? * Did you find it in southern Saskatchewan? | |||||||||
| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found Rocky Mountain sedge! | |||||||||
