Carex spectabilis Herbaceous Alliance
Showy sedge sod
Showy sedge sod
USDA Ecological Section Map
Summary Information
- Primary Life FormHerb
- Elevation1800-3700 m
- State RarityS3
- Global RarityG4
- DistributionCAN: AB, BC. USA: CA, MT, OR, WA (NatureServe)
- Endemic to CaliforniaNo
- Endemic to California Floristic Province and DesertsNo
- Date Added2009/09/01
Characteristic Species
Carex spectabilis is dominant or co-dominant in the herbaceous layer with Agrostis variabilis, Antennaria media, Arnica amplexicaulis, Bistorta bistortoides, Carex heteroneura, Carex vernacula, Juncus mertensianus, Melica bulbosa, Mimulus tilingii, Penstemon heterodoxus, Phleum alpinum, Poa fendleriana, Poa secunda, Poa wheeleri, Potentilla flabellifolia, Rumex paucifolius, Saxifraga bryophora, Senecio triangularis, Sibbaldia procumbens, Stellaria calycantha, Trisetum spicatum and Veronica wormskjoldii. Emergent shrubs may be present at low cover, including Phyllodoce breweri, Ribes cereum, Sambucus racemosa or Spiraea splendens.
Vegetation Layers
Herbs < 90 cm; cover is continuous.
Membership Rules
- Carex spectabilis > 50% relative cover in the herbaceous layer (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2003b, NatureServe 2007).
Habitats
Banks of high-gradient ephemeral streams with deep snow packs, saturated rocky areas near summer snow banks, and seasonally saturated rocky areas. Soils are temporarily flooded in the spring during snowmelt and may be saturated during the growing season. The USFWS Wetland Inventory (1996 national list) recognizes Carex spectabilis as a FACW plant.
Other Habitat, Alliance and Community Groupings
MCV (1995) | Alpine habitat |
NVCS (2009) | Carex spectabilis herbaceous alliance |
Calveg | Wet grasses and forbs, Perennial grasses and forbs |
Holland | Sierra Nevada fell-field, Alpine snowbank margin |
Munz | Alpine fell-fields |
WHR | Alpine dwarf-shrub, Wet meadow |
CDFW CA Code | 45.155.00 |
National Vegetation Classification Hierarchy
Formation Class | Cryomorphic Shrub and Herb Vegetation (Polar and High Montane Vegetation) |
Formation Subclass | Temperate and Boreal Alpine Vegetation |
Formation | Alpine Scrub, Forb Meadow, and Grassland |
Division | Western North America Alpine Scrub, Forb Meadow, and Grassland |
Macro Group | Vancouverian Alpine Scrub, Forb Meadow, and Grassland |
Group | Vancouverian snowbank turf |
Remarks
Carex spectabilis is a sod-forming sedge with rhizomes. Leaves are borne basally on the culm. Flower spikes are separate with 2 to 5 pendent and erect spikelets. Pistillate bracts have a prominent midvein that is lighter than the body (Ball and Reznicek 2002).
The range of C. spectabilis includes the mountains of the Pacific Northwest and northern Rocky Mountains. In California, stands are typically restricted to rocky sites downslope from summer snow banks at alpine or subalpine elevations (Sawyer and Keeler- Wolf 2007). They are small and can be species rich. Three stands in the Yosemite National Park (Keeler- Wolf et al. 2003b) contained 55 species. However, C. spectabilis dominates most stands. Stands are most similar to those of the Carex breweri and Carex congdonii alliances. C. spectabilis typically occupies coarser rocky substrates than does C. breweri, and moister and more shaded sites than C. congdonii.
The range of C. spectabilis includes the mountains of the Pacific Northwest and northern Rocky Mountains. In California, stands are typically restricted to rocky sites downslope from summer snow banks at alpine or subalpine elevations (Sawyer and Keeler- Wolf 2007). They are small and can be species rich. Three stands in the Yosemite National Park (Keeler- Wolf et al. 2003b) contained 55 species. However, C. spectabilis dominates most stands. Stands are most similar to those of the Carex breweri and Carex congdonii alliances. C. spectabilis typically occupies coarser rocky substrates than does C. breweri, and moister and more shaded sites than C. congdonii.
Life History Traits of the Principal Species
Carex spectabilis | |
---|---|
Life forms | Polycarpic perennial; herb; rhizomatous |
Seed storage | Transient |
Seed longevity | Short |
Mode of dispersal | Gravity; water/hydrological |
Germination agents | Stratification—winter |
Mode of sprouting | Underground structures |
Survivability after fire/disturbance | Fire-hardy? (high tolerance to disturbance); no/low sprouter to high sprouter |
Disturbance-stimulated flowering | No |
Reproductive range | Long-lived |
Recruitment | Low; episodic |
Regional variation | Low |
Fire Characteristics
Stands are not typically affected by fire due to moist conditions and surrounding rocky terrain. Natural processes affecting stands include fluctuating summer snowbanks (drought sequences) and rockfalls.
Fire return interval | — |
Seasonality | — |
Size/extent | — |
Complexity | — |
Intensity | — |
Severity | — |
Type | — |
Regional knowledge | — |
Regional Status
The range of Carex spectabilis includes the Southern Cascades (M261B).
- Klamath Mountains (M261Ag, Aj, At). Small stands observed from the high eastern Klamath Mountains include those in the Trinity Alps and those in the Mount Eddy area, which may occur on serpentine and gabbro substrates.
- Sierra Nevada (M261Ee, Eh, Ek, Eo, Eq). Stands sampled from Kings Canyon, Sequoia (S. Haultain, pers comm. 2003), and Yosemite (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2003b) national parks characterize the alliance in California. Stands have been observed as far north as Mount Pleasant RNA (Cheng 2004). They occur at high elevations in rocky areas and around ponds and lakes.
Management Considerations
Stands inhabit talus slopes and rock outcrops at alpine and subalpine elevations, which are areas largely unaffected by grazing, trampling, or invasive species. Climatic change may have a long-term effect on the distribution and viability of stands, since they are associated with late-melting snow beds.
Associations
- Carex spectabilis - Senecio triangularis [1], [2]
- Carex spectabilis - Sibbaldia procumbens [1], [2]
References
- [1] Keeler-Wolf, T.;Schindel, M.;San, S.;Moore, P.;Hickson, D. 2003b
- [2] Taylor, D.W. 1984
- Sawyer, J.O.;Keeler-Wolf, T. 2007