Strand Sedge

Scientific Name:

Carex pumila

Strand Sedge flower-head
Photo: A J Brown

Other Common Name:

Sand Sedge

Status:

Native to Australia, New Zealand, South America and Asia.

Plant Description:

Small sedge with stems from 5-20 cm tall and leaves to 50 cm long and 2.5-6 mm wide. The plant has long rhizomes and loosely tufted shoots. Leaf sheaths are yellow-brown.

Flower-heads are narrow and erect, 5-10 cm long with 4-7 spikes. Upper spikes are male, 1-4 cm long and lower spikes are female, 1.5-2 cm long. Outer flower parts are yellow-brown to red-brown. Fruit is an ovoid to trigonous (triangular in profile) yellow-brown nut.

Habitat:

Scattered on sand dunes along the coast.

Comments:

Useful sand binding plant.

Leaves and flower-heads of Strand Sedge
Photo: A J Brown

Strand Sedge spikelet
Photo: A J Brown

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