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Payson's Sedge - Carex paysonis
Other Names:
Carex tolmiei
Native Species
Global Rank:
G4G5
State Rank:
S4
(see State Rank Reason below)
C-value:
4
Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
DRAFT: Requesting feedback on the 2026 revised rank, factors, and State Rank Reason outlined below and in the Conservation Status Rank Report.
Carex paysonis is widespread and relatively common across higher elevation mountain ranges in southwest and southcentral Montana. Occurrences are often in relatively remote areas, which limits the potential for negative impacts. No significant and widespread threats to the species are known besides potential impacts associated with climate change. Population levels are poorly documented, though are believed to be fairly robust, and trends are unknown though populations have likely been relatively stable in the recent past or experienced only minor declines.
General Description
Short-rhizomatous. Stems erect, 10–50 cm with dried leaves at the base. Leaves basal and lower-cauline; blades 2–5 mm wide. Inflorescence of 3 to 6, ascending, overlapping spikes; lowest bract shorter than the inflorescence. Spikes: upper 1 or 2 male or bisexual with male flowers above, 10–25 mm long; lower female, short-pedunculate, 5–25 mm long, ovoid to cylindric. Perigynia ascending, whitish below, purplish above, glabrous, flattened, broadly ovate, 2.5–4 × 1.5–2.5 mm with a minute beak; stigmas 3. Female scales lanceolate, blackish with an indistinct midstripe, narrower but as long as 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
BC, AB south to OR, UT and WY (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 246
(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
Moist to wet meadows, turf, often where snow lies late; subalpine, alpine, more common higher (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
National Vegetation Classification System Groups Associated with this Species
Alpine
Alpine - Vegetated
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?
Aho, Ken Andrew. 2006. Alpine and Cliff Ecosystems in the North-Central Rocky Mountains. Ph.D. Dissertation. Bozeman, Montana: Montana State University. 343 p.- Forcella, F. 1977. Flora, chorology, biomass and productivity of the Pinus albicaulis-Vaccinium scoparium association. M.S. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 99 pp.
- 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.
- Parks, J.C. 1986. Plant materials for use on disturbed alpine areas in Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 57 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.
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