Carex caryophyllea Lat.

Vernal sedge

About plant names...

The Carex genus (sedges) comprises some 1100-2000 species, many of which are very difficult to distinguish. All Carex IDs here are very dubious at this time. For example, these might be Carex halleriana.

Identification: Plants are 4½-12" (12-30 cm) high. Stems are roughly triangular in cross section. Leaves are grasslike blades less than ¹/₃₂-⅛" (1.5-3 mm) wide. Flowering tops, about 1" (2.5 cm) high, are black at first, flowering in yellow. They are among the earliest plants to flower in the spring. They are often found in human-disturbed areas.

Online References:

The New England Wildflower Society’s GoBotany site

Chestofbooks.com

Wikimedia Commons

Skye Flora

The USDA Plants Database

EFloras

4/8/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 4½ × 3" (11 × 7.9 cm) ID is uncertain

4/21/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 9 × 6" (23 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain

4/17/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 5" (13 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

4/27/2013 · Bemis Rd, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 7 × 5" (17 × 12 cm) ID is uncertain

4/21/2013 · Crow Hill Trail, Leominster State Forest, Leominster, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 9 × 6" (23 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain

4/21/2013 · Crow Hill Trail, Leominster State Forest, Leominster, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 8 × 6" (20 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain

Carex caryophyllea description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.

4/8/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 2 × 2½" (5.4 × 6.8 cm) ID is uncertain

4/8/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3 × 3½" (7.9 × 9.7 cm) ID is uncertain

4/8/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 2½ × 3½" (6.7 × 9.2 cm) ID is uncertain

4/27/2013 · Bemis Rd, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 9 × 9" (22 × 24 cm) ID is uncertain

4/8/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 2 × 2½" (6 × 6.7 cm) ID is uncertain

4/17/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 7 × 11" (18 × 27 cm) ID is uncertain

Range:

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