Carex sylvatica | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Clade: | Commelinids |
Order: | Poales |
Family: | Cyperaceae |
Genus: | Carex |
Species: | C. sylvatica
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Binomial name | |
Carex sylvatica |
Carex sylvatica is a species of sedge found in deciduous woodlands across Europe. It typically reaches 60 cm (24 in) tall, and has an inflorescence made up of 3–5 pendent female spikes and a single male spike. It is also used as a garden plant, and has been introduced to North America and New Zealand.
Carex sylvatica "resembles a small C. pendula", [2] growing to around 15–60 centimetres (6–24 in) tall, or up to 150 cm (5 ft) in exceptional cases. [1] Its rhizomes are very short, giving the plant a densely cespitose (tufted) form. [1] [3] The leaves are 5–60 cm (2.0–23.6 in) long, 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) wide [1] and 1.0–1.3 mm (0.04–0.05 in) thick, [3] with 17–31 parallel veins. The leaves have a slight keel, or are folded gently into an M-shape in cross-section. [1]
The top half or third of the stem bears the inflorescence, typically comprising 3–5 female spikes and a single apical male spike, [1] which may include a few female flowers at its base. [3] The female spikes are each 2.0–6.5 cm (0.8–2.6 in) long, and are held dangling on long, rough peduncles, arising from within a long leaf-sheath. [1] The male spike is much thinner, and is 1–4 cm (0.4–1.6 in) long. [1]
Carex sylvatica was first described by the English botanist William Hudson in his 1762 work Flora Anglica. [4] Hybrids have been reported between C. sylvatica and C. strigosa (in France) and between C. sylvatica and C. hirta (in Austria). [3] Its English common name is "wood-sedge", [1] or, in North America, "European woodland sedge". [3]
Carex sylvatica is found across Europe, and into parts of Asia, as far east as Iran. [5] It has also been introduced to North America, where it occurs in Ontario, New York and North Carolina, and to New Zealand, [3] where it was first recorded in 1969. [6]
In its native range, C. sylvatica lives in deciduous woodlands on heavy soils; it is sometimes found in unwooded areas, but usually only as a relic of ancient woodland. [1] In North America, it is generally found in disturbed areas within deciduous woodland. [3]
Carex sylvatica can be used in gardens as ground cover under trees or shrubs. [2] Carl Linnaeus recorded that the Sami people used the plant as an insulating wadding. [7]