Carex microptera Provisional Herbaceous Alliance
Small-winged sedge meadows
Small-winged sedge meadows
Summary Information
- Primary Life FormHerb
- Elevation1500-3400 m
- State RarityS2?
- Global RarityG4
- DistributionUSA: CA, CO, ID, MT, OR, UT, WY (NatureServe)
- Endemic to CaliforniaNo
- Endemic to California Floristic Province and DesertsNo
- Date Added2009/09/01
Characteristic Species
Carex microptera is dominant in the herbaceous layer with Achillea millefolium, Bistorta bistortoides, Carex aquatilis, Carex integra, Carex praegracilis, Carex utriculata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Epilobium halleanum, Juncus arcticus, Muhlenbergia filiformis, Poa pratensis, Symphyotrichum spathulatum, Taraxacum officinale and Veratrum californicum.
Vegetation Layers
Herbs < 1 m; cover is open to intermittent.
Habitats
Drying edges of meadows, terraces. Soils are mineral with little development. The USFWS Wetland Inventory (1996 national list) recognizes Carex microptera as a FAC* plant.
Other Habitat, Alliance, and Community Groupings
| MCV (1995) | Sedge series |
| NVCS (2009) | Carex microptera seasonally flooded herbaceous alliance |
| Calveg | Wet grasses and forbs, Perennial grasses and forbs |
| Holland | Wet montane meadow, Dry montane meadow, Wet subalpine or alpine meadow |
| Munz | Freshwater marsh |
| WHR | Wet meadow |
| CDFW CA Code | 45.181.00 |
Remarks
Carex microptera is a densely tufted sedge species up to 1 m tall without rhizomes. Culms well exceed the flat, firm leaves, and they terminate into dense head-like clusters of 5-10 spikes. The inflorescence bract and scales are light to dark brown. C. microptera occurs commonly in meadows of California at montane to subalpine elevations. It is difficult to differentiate C. microptera from C. haydeniana, which grows in similar conditions (Ball and Reznicek 2002).
The National Vegetation Classification (NatureServe 2007a) recognizes a Carex microptera herbaceous alliance in mountainous regions of the western United States adjacent to streams on alluvial terraces, on old beaver ponds, and in seeps. Adjacent riparian stands are the Carex (aquatilis, lenticularis) or Carex (utriculata, vesicaria) alliances, and drier upland types, including Deschampsia cespitosa or other mesic, herb-rich alliances.
The National Vegetation Classification (NatureServe 2007a) recognizes a Carex microptera herbaceous alliance in mountainous regions of the western United States adjacent to streams on alluvial terraces, on old beaver ponds, and in seeps. Adjacent riparian stands are the Carex (aquatilis, lenticularis) or Carex (utriculata, vesicaria) alliances, and drier upland types, including Deschampsia cespitosa or other mesic, herb-rich alliances.
Observations
The range of Carex microptera includes montane and subalpine areas throughout the state’s mountains. Manning and Padgett (1995) and S. Smith (1998b) described stands of Carex microptera as an uncommon meadow type in the eastern Sierra Nevada (M261E) and Southern Cascades (M261D). The species is also known from deep snow accumulation areas in the Sweetwater Mountains (341Dd) per Hunter and Johnson (1983). This sedge is palatable to livestock, and season-long grazing removes it from areas; species such as Poa pratensis replace it (S. Smith 1998b). We need further sampling to characterize the alliance in the state.
References
- [1] Smith, S. 1998b
- Johnston, B.C. 1987
- Manning, M.E.;Padgett, W.G. 1995