''Carex firma'' is a species of

sedge The Cyperaceae () are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as wikt:sedge, sedges. The family (biology), family is large; botanists have species description, described some 5,500 known species in about 90 ...

that grows in the mountains of southern and central Europe.

Description

''Carex firma'' forms thick cushions. Its leaves are up to long in normal conditions (up to in moist, sheltered localities), dark green and stiff. The stems are up to tall (exceptionally ), but always at least twice as long as the leaves.

Ecology

In synecology, ''Carex firma'' is a characteristic part of the "" (also called ""), which is an important

community A community is a social unit (a group of people) with a shared socially-significant characteristic, such as place, set of norms, culture, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given g ...

in the

alpine zone Alpine tundra is a type of natural region or biome that does not contain trees because it is at high elevation, with an associated alpine climate, harsh climate. As the latitude of a location approaches the poles, the threshold elevation for alp ...

over

calcareous rock Calcareous () is an adjective meaning "mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate", in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines. In zoology ''Calcareous'' is used as an adjec ...

. ''Carex firma'' can survive

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that quantitatively expresses the attribute of hotness or coldness. Temperature is measurement, measured with a thermometer. It reflects the average kinetic energy of the vibrating and colliding atoms making ...

s as low as .

Taxonomy

''Carex firma'' was first described by

Nicolaus Thomas Host Nicolaus Thomas Host (December 7, 1758 in Fiume, now Rijeka – January 13, 1834 in Vienna) was a Croatian botanist and the personal physician of Holy Roman Emperor Francis II. His botanical works include ''Synopsis plantarum in Austria'' and t ...

in 1797, in his work ''Synopsis Plantarum in Austria provinciisque adjacentibus sponte crescentium''.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1443970 firma Alpine flora Flora of the Alps Plants described in 1797