Carex rupestris, called the curly sedge and rock sedge (names it shares with other members of its genus), is a species of flowering plant in the family Cyperaceae, native to temperate and subarctic North America, Greenland, Iceland, Europe, and Asia.[2]
Description
Carex rupestris is a type of sedge, growing between 10–20 centimetres (4–8 inches) in height. It grows in dense, matted tufts.[5]Rhizome branch lengths measure 0.4–5.0 cm (0.2–2.0 in). Aerial shoots ascend from the rhizome, with dead leaves persisting for several years and giving the stands a typical straw-yellow colour, recognizable at a distance.[5] Leaves are up to 2 millimetres (0.08 inches) wide and channelled, appearing at the base of the stem. The inflorescence is composed of a single spike at the top of the stem.[6] Rhizomes are brown or black, with a scaly appearance. The species fruits in late spring to summer.[7]
Distribution and habitat
Carex rupestris is an arctic-alpine species found at higher altitudes. It favours dry ground, heathland, talus slopes, and rocky outcrops and ledges.[8][7]Carex rupestris subsp. altimontana is found only in the Altai Republic of Russia.[3]
Taxonomy
The following subspecies are currently accepted:[2]