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Small-head Sedge - Carex illota
Native Species
Global Rank:
G5
State Rank:
S4
C-value:
7
Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:
External Links
General Description
Caespitose. Stems erect, 5–35 cm. Leaves basal and cauline; blades 1–2 mm wide. Inflorescence of 3 to 6 sessile spikes congested in a dense globose head; lowest bract short. Spikes 4–7 mm long, all similar, female flowers above male. Perigynia ascending to spreading, dark brown, lanceolate, thin-margined, 2.5–3.5 × ca. 1 mm including the 0.5 mm long, entire beak; stigmas 2. Female scales ovate, purplish brown, shorter and narrower than the perigynia. Achene 2-sided, nearly filling the perigynium (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
BC, AB south to CA, NV, UT and CO (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 164
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Map Help and Descriptions
Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
Wet meadows, turf, often along streams or around ponds, lakes; subalpine, alpine (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
National Vegetation Classification System Groups Associated with this Species
Wetland and Riparian
Alpine Riparian and Wetland
Stewardship Responsibility
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend:
View Online Publication- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
Williams, K.L. 2012. Classification of the grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, forests and alpine vegetation associations of the Custer National Forest portion of the Beartooth Mountains in southcentral Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 376 p.
- Web Search Engines for Articles on "Small-head Sedge"
