''Carex distans'', commonly known as distant sedge, is a

plant Plants are the eukaryotes that form the Kingdom (biology), kingdom Plantae; they are predominantly Photosynthesis, photosynthetic. This means that they obtain their energy from sunlight, using chloroplasts derived from endosymbiosis with c ...

species in the sedge family,

Cyperaceae 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 ...

. It is native to Europe and North Africa. It is part of a complex of similar species that occur across Eurasia. Its relatives include '' Carex diluta'' of central Asia, which has also been introduced to North America in Montana. ''Carex distans'' has been introduced to US states including

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

and

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

. More recently, it was found in Oregon. There is a report from Victoria, Australia as well.

Description

''C. distans'' is densely

cespitose This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary ...

and tall. Leaves: sheaths are brown to orange-brown; blades are green, flat and wide. The

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

consists of widely separated spikes. The terminal spike is

staminate The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

and the lower 2–4 spikes are

pistillate Gynoecium (; ; : gynoecia) is most commonly used as a collective term for the parts of a flower that produce ovules and ultimately develop into the fruit and seeds. The gynoecium is the innermost whorl of a flower; it consists of (one or more) ...

. The perigynia (also called utricles) are green to brownish, long, contracted to a beak long. Stigmas are 3 and

achene An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple fruit, simple dry fruits, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and Dehi ...

s trigonous. 2''n'' = 68, 70–72, 74.

Distribution and habitat

In Europe, this sedge grows in wetlands and fens, often on sandy or rocky soils. It can grow in brackish marshes and is especially common along coastlines. In the United States, it is found on ballast dumps and in other disturbed, sandy locations. The species is widespread and its overall population appears stable.

References

distans Flora of Europe Flora of Western Asia Flora of North Africa Plants described in 1759 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Grasses of Lebanon {{Carex-stub