Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Carex cristatella
Sedge, Crested oval sedge
Taxonomy

Synonyms:

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

  • Magnoliophyta

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA PlantsITISThe Plant ListIPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNAUSDA PlantsBONAPBISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
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F
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M
0
A
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M
0
J
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J
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A
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S
0
O
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N
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D
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Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:Two forms of this species are occasionally recognized cristatella and catelliformis

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Monocot, perennial

Roots: adventitious, fibrous

Shoots: alternate leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Parallel leaf venation; awl-shaped leaf shape

Inflorescence: spike, head

Flowers: unisexual, monoecious; 3 merous; incomplete, not petals, not sepals; hypogynous ovary position

Fruit: achene

Physiology: autotrophic

Reproduction: sexual, vegetative

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Species is found in shade with Ulmus americana, see also SAF Forest Cover Type, wet river bottom prairies, swampy meadows, alluvium in wet, open valleys, sloughs, ditches, along railroads, and in rich wooded valleys.

ILPIN Notes: Perigynia wing-margined, lower part firm, without spongy thickening; plants mostly cespitose, sans well-developed rhizomes. Mature perigynia ovoid to suborbicular, less than or equal to 2 1/2 times longer than wide; spikes globose, mature perigynia beaks spreading -recurved; wing abruptly narrowed below middle, thus, base wingless - sterile culms with spreading non-clustered leaves - common. Field ID - crowded, nearly globose spikes with perigynia wide-spreading; and by numerous spreading leaves on the numerous sterile culms. Most spikes have pistillate flowers at the apex. Some authors consider this as originating from a hybrid between C. tribuloides and C. Bebbii.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators:
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae: no
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 3
  • Chicago Area: 4

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