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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. |
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| SCHWEINITZ’S SEDGE | |||||||||
| LATIN NAME: Cyperus schweinitzii | |||||||||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | |||||||||
| Schweinitz’s sedge grows to about 50 cm tall. It is easily recognizable by the roots, which have hard swellings near the base of the stem. The stems are three-angled and may be smooth or rough hairy. The leaves are flat to V-shaped. The inflorescence is made of several spikes which contain five to ten linear spikelets. The floral scales are straw-coloured or dull whitish with a green midrib and tend to fall off at maturity. The achenes are light to dark brown or black. | |||||||||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | |||||||||
| Schweinitz’s sedge grows in active sand dune blowouts. | |||||||||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | |||||||||
| This species grows in southern and central Saskatchewan in the Mixed Grassland, Moist Mixed Grassland, and Boreal Transition ecoregions. | |||||||||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | |||||||||
| Schweinitz’s sedge is vulnerable in Saskatchewan because it is rare and limited to sand dune complexes, making it somewhat regionally restricted. The sand dune environment is fragile, which poses a threat to this species. | |||||||||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY SCHWEINITZ’S SEDGE | |||||||||
| * Are the spikelets in spikes? * Are there hardened thickenings on the roots? * Are the floral scales straw-coloured or dull whitish? * Did you find it in southern or central Saskatchewan? |
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| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found Schweinitz’s sedge! | |||||||||
