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Montana Field Guides

Merten's Sedge - Carex mertensii

Native Species

Global Rank: G5
State Rank: S5
C-value: 3


Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:


 

External Links






 
General Description
Caespitose. Stems erect to ascending, 40–80 cm. Leaves basal and cauline; blades 3–8 mm wide. Inflorescence of 5 to 10 overlapping, pedunculate, arching spikes; lowest bract longer than the inflorescence. Spikes cylindric, 1–4 cm long, bisexual all similar; male flowers few, basal; uppermost spike sometimes mostly male. Perigynia erect, green to tan, elliptic, 2.5–4.5 mm long, glabrous, flattened with a tiny beak; stigmas 3. Female scales lanceolate, blackish with a light midvein, shorter and narrower than the perigynia. Achene 3-sided, much smaller than 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
AK to CA, ID, MT; Asia (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 63

(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
Thickets, moist forest, often along streams, lakes, roads; montane, subalpine (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

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.
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Citation for data on this website:
Merten's Sedge — Carex mertensii.  Montana Field Guide.  .  Retrieved on , from