Carex intumescens Rudge

Bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge

About plant names...

Bladder sedge is a North American native. Often found near water, it is also found at forest edges.

Plant: These small grass-like plants are typically less than 12" (30 cm) high.

Leaves: Leaves are dark, parallel-veined, 4-10" (10-25 cm) long, ⅛-¼" (3.5-8 mm) wide.

Flowers/seeds: During April-June, curiously shaped inflorescences appear, roughly spherical or corncob-shaped, ¾-6" (2-15 cm) long, looking like several green teardrops connected at the fat end, pointing in all directions. Each teardrop is a perigynium up to ⅝" (1.6 cm) long, containing a seed (achene) about ⅛" (5 mm) long. The perigynia are larger than most, an aid to identifcation.

Carex intumescens is sometimes confused with C. folliculata, but the perigynia of the latter aren’t as fat.

Online References:

The University of Wisconsin's Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium

YouTube Video footage

The University of Michigan Herbarium

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

EFloras

References:

Arsenault, Matt; Mittelhauser, Glen H.; Cameron, Don; Dibble, Alison C.; Haines, Arthur; Rooney, Sally C.; and Weber, Jill E., Sedges of Maine: A Field Guide to Cyperaceae, University of Maine Press, 2013, p. 326

6/26/2014 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 6" (16 × 14 cm)

8/18/2010 · J. Harry Rich Woods, off Nod Rd., Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 4½ × 3½" (11 × 9.2 cm)

6/26/2014 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 5" (15 × 12 cm)

9/29/2016 · Henry E. Cowdrey Nature Center, Lunenberg, Mass­a­chu­setts

5/31/2016 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts

5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 4 × 4½" (10 × 12 cm)

6/13/2021 · Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham, Maine
≈ 4½ × 7" (11 × 17 cm)

6/2/2010 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 7" (13 × 17 cm)

6/2/2010 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 8 × 6" (20 × 15 cm)

5/31/2016 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts

6/2/2010 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 11 × 7" (27 × 18 cm)

5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 8" (14 × 19 cm)

5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 7 × 11" (18 × 27 cm)

6/13/2021 · Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham, Maine
≈ 3 × 4" (8.4 × 10 cm)

Carex intumescens description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 11 Oct 2021.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.

5/31/2016 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts

5/31/2016 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts

5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3½ × 5" (9.2 × 13 cm)

7/3/2023 · Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Penn­syl­vania

7/23/2017 · Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Penn­syl­vania
≈ 8 × 5" (20 × 13 cm)

6/15/2012 · Townsend State Forest, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 4" (15 × 10 cm)

5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 4½ × 7" (11 × 17 cm)

7/29/2023 · Highlands Trails, Topsham, Maine

7/29/2023 · Highlands Trails, Topsham, Maine

7/23/2017 · Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Penn­syl­vania
≈ 7 × 4½" (18 × 12 cm)

7/23/2017 · Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Penn­syl­vania
≈ 4 × 6" (11 × 16 cm)

7/3/2023 · Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Penn­syl­vania

7/29/2023 · Highlands Trails, Topsham, Maine

5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 17 × 12" (44 × 29 cm)

6/13/2021 · Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham, Maine
≈ 4½ × 4" (11 × 10 cm)

6/2/2013 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hamp­shire
≈ 4½ × 5" (11 × 13 cm)

Range:

About this map...