Photos & Text by Tony Reznicek

Sedges are grass-like plants mostly of wetlands, or at least mesic, shaded sites (forest understories). The largest and most widespread genus of sedges is Carex, found mostly in temperate climates, with some species occurring in mountainous regions of the tropics. Carex is unique in the sedge family (Cyperaceae) in having fruits completely enclosed in a flattened to globular or even bottle- or flask-like bract, the perigynium. A modest number of species occur in drier sites, such as dunes and dry grasslands, but very few of the 2000 or so species of Carex are plants of desert biomes or other extremely dry habitats; however, a few species are able to exploit the tiniest moist microsites in desert habitats.

Introduction