Carex sempervirens


Carex sempervirens, called the evergreen sedge, is a species of tussock-forming flowering plant in the family Cyperaceae, native to the mountains of Europe. It is common in nutrient-limited grasslands above and below the treeline.

Description

Carex sempervirens is a vigorous, perennial grass-like plant, growing between 20–50 cm in height; glabrous, with a very tenacious rootstock; the stem leafy only at the base. Leaves are 2–4 mm wide, rough, and shorter than the stem. The male spike is solitary, oblong, pale brown; female spikes are spread apart, oblong, somewhat loose, always erect. Sheathing bracts are often shorter than the peduncles; with brownish, lanceolate scales. Utricles are rusty brown, oblong-lanceolate, slightly veined, ending in a long, bifid beak. It flowers between May and August.

Distribution and habitat

Carex sempervirens favours chalky, nutrient-limited grasslands and rocky mountain habitats. It flourishes at altitudes of 1500–2400 m.