FALSE FOX SEDGE

Carex otrubae

Sedge Club- & Spike-Rush [Cyperaceae]

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flower
flower8green		 inner
inner8brown		 petals
petalsZ0		 stem
stem8triangular

2nd July 2009, Ainsdale marshland, Sefton Coast, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Flowerhead in interrupted star-shaped inflorescences near the top of a triangular stem up to a metre high.


2nd July 2009, Ainsdale marshland, Sefton Coast, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The stacked nature of the interrupted inflorescences is more easily discerned on more mature specimens. Pointed ligules stick out further than the flowers.


2nd July 2009, Ainsdale marshland, Sefton Coast, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The large winged insect on the sedge is not a dragonfly (which have two pairs of wings); but rather a Cranefly (Tipula oleraceae) [commonly known as a 'Daddy Longlegs'].


2nd July 2009, Ainsdale marshland, Sefton Coast, Lancs. Photo: © RWD


2nd July 2009, Ainsdale marshland, Sefton Coast, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Flowers are green on the outer edges, merging from cream into brown in the centres.


2nd July 2009, Ainsdale marshland, Sefton Coast, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The sharp ends into two brown bits.


2nd July 2009, Ainsdale marshland, Sefton Coast, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
A sharp ligule sticks out further than the flowers.


2nd July 2009, Ainsdale marshland, Sefton Coast, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The stem is finely ridged, and triangular in csa.

Easily confused with : True Fox Sedge [a plant of similar name], but that is stouter and has sharply angled concave stems, whereas the stems of False Fox Sedge have flat sides.

Hybridises with :

  • Spiked Sedge (Carex spicata) to produce Carex × haussknechtii
  • Grey Sedge (Carex divulsa ssp. divulsa)
  • Remote Sedge (Carex remota) to produce Carex × pseudoaxillaris
[The author thinks the photographs correspond with none of the above hybrids since they do not occur in the hectad that the photographs were taken, but the latter hybrid, Carex × pseudoaxillaris, grows closest: further to the North of Southport].

Grows in wet or damp grassland, especially near the coast.

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Distribution
family8Sedge Club- & Spike-Rush family8Cyperaceae
BSBI maps
genus8Carex
Carex
(Sedges)

FALSE FOX SEDGE

Carex otrubae

Sedge Club- & Spike-Rush [Cyperaceae]

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