Biology:Carex elongata

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Short description: Species of flowering plant

Carex elongata
Carex elongata kz07.jpg
In Poland
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Cyperaceae
Genus: Carex
Species:
C. elongata
Binomial name
Carex elongata
Synonyms[1]

Carex elongata, the elongated sedge, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cyperaceae, native to Europe, the Caucasus, western Siberia, Kazakhstan, and the Altai.[1][2] It occurs in boggy woodland and wet meadows, where it forms dense tussocks up to about 1 m tall.

Description

Plants occur in dense tussocks about 1 m tall and 50 cm in diameter, owing to their short rhizomes and dense production of shoots. Each trigonous stem is up to 80 cm long and rough with upward-pointing teeth on the edges. Leaves are up to 90 cm long and 5 mm wide, tapering to a fine point. The ligule, which is important for identification, is 8 mm long and sharply pointed. The inflorescence consists of up to 18 golden-tinged spikes which are fairly tightly spaced at the top of the stem. Fruits (utricles) are 4 mm long, with dark ribs, and have 2 stigmas.[3] The diploid chromosome number (2n) = 56.[4] thumb|left|=Botanical illustration

Ecology

This is a plant of flooded woodland, in Britain it is typically found in W5 alder carr,[5] which typically occurs in river valleys and old peat bogs.[6] It is thought that the seeds germinate on dead wood, which floats on the surface of the water, and thereby avoids inundation at the vulnerable seedling stage.[7] In England, it used to grow on the rotten pilings of old canals, in similar conditions. It can also be found in W2 grey willow carr and W6 crack willow woodland.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Carex elongata L.". Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:299609-1. 
  2. "Carex elongata elongated sedge". The Royal Horticultural Society. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/162169/i-carex-elongata-i/details. Retrieved 19 October 2021. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 Jermy, A.C.; Simpson, D.A.; Foley, M.J.Y.; Porter, M.S (2007). Sedges of the British Isles. London: Botanical Society of the British Isles. ISBN 978-0-901158-35-2. 
  4. Stace, C.A. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles. Middlewood Green: C&M Floristics. ISBN 978-1-5272-2630-2. 
  5. British Plant Communities. "W5 Alnus glutinosa woodland". https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/british-plant-communities/alnus-glutinosacarex-paniculata-woodland/F133BFE264336A3FBA6EC94F1012B1FB#. 
  6. Rodwell, J.S. (1991–2000). British Plant Communities. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 
  7. Lockton, A.J.. "BSBI species accounts: Carex elongata". http://sppaccounts.bsbi.org.uk/content/carex-elongata-0. 

Wikidata ☰ Q159480 entry