Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (10/20/20):
Carex laxiflora
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Broad Loose-flowered Sedge at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
INCLUDING
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Carex laxiflora +
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 030-17-069:
Carex laxiflora FAMILY Cyperaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN Britton & Brown Illus Flora of Northeast US & adjacent Canada (Gleason, 1952)
Carex laxiflora var. laxiflora
COMMON NAME:
Broad Loose-flowered Sedge
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
JK Marlow jkm060429_004
April Macon County NC
Nantahala National Forest: Wayah Ranger District
Culms 30-50cm tall, narrowly wing-angled. Blades 2.5-15mm wide, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
JK Marlow jkm220419_6921
April Pickens County SC
Nine Times Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm220419_6921b
April Pickens County SC
Nine Times Preserve
Spikes scattered, loosely flowered; staminate spike prominently exserted, per Weakley's Flora (2022).
)
JK Marlow jkm220419_6922
April Pickens County SC
Nine Times Preserve
Leaf blades ascending, midrib and 2 lateral veins developed, occasionally slightly corrugated, per Flora of North America.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (10/20/20):
Carex laxiflora
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
INCLUDING
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Carex laxiflora +
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 030-17-069:
Carex laxiflora
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
Britton & Brown Illus Flora of Northeast US & adjacent Canada (Gleason, 1952)
Carex laxiflora var. laxiflora
2063
Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Perennial
Monoecious
Habitat: In a wide range of moist to dry, acidic to nutrient-rich forests, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)
LEAVES:
Simple
Basal & low alternate, 3-ranked
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Perianth absent
3 stamens
Superior ovary
Unisexual
Inflorescences: spikes (terminal staminate, overtopped by 3-5 lateral pistillate
FRUIT:
Spring/Summer
Nutlet
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".