| Strand sedge | |
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| Scientific classification | |
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| (unranked): | |
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| Species: | C. pumila |
| Binomial name | |
| Carex pumila | |
Carex pumila, commonly known as strand sedge or spreading sedge, [1] is a species of sedge of the family Cyperaceae. [2] [3]
The monoecious and rhizomatous perennial grass-like sedge has a tufted habit and typically grows to a height of 0.4 metres (1.3 ft). It blooms in summer usually between November and February in Australia producing brown flowers. [2] The foliage is deep blue-green with coarse tufts, arising from a long creeping rhizome with a diameter of about 2 millimetres (0.08 in). The culms are usually buried in sand and are 5 to 30 centimetres (2.0 to 11.8 in) in length. The culms are terete, smooth, cream or light green in colour but almost completely enclosed by light cream brown to red-brown sheaths. The leaves are longer than the culms, up to 40 cm (15.7 in) in length and about 2 mm (0.08 in) in width. The leaves are channelled, rigid, curved and taper to a fine point t the end. [3]
The seeds are oval shaped nuts and are 2 to 3 mm (0.08 to 0.12 in) in length. [1]
The species was first formally described by the botanist Carl Peter Thunberg in 1784 as a part of Johan Andreas Murray's work Systema Vegetabilium . The name of this species is often misapplied to Carex bichenoviana . [4]
The plant is widely distributed and is found in Australia, New Zealand, Lord Howe Island, Chile, China, Japan and Korea. [3]
Mostly found along the coast in dune areas but occasionally around the sandy margins of coastal rivers and estuaries. Also sometimes as an urban lawn weed, mostly in coastal settlements. [3]
It is found in coastal areas through much of temperate Australia from Queensland to Western Australia, including Tasmania. [1] In Western Australia it is found on sand dunes in the Peel and South West regions where it grows in sandy soils. [2]
Ficinia spiralis is a coastal sedge endemic to New Zealand. Originally widespread, it has suffered severely from competition with introduced marram grass and animal grazing and now has only a patchy distribution.
Carex pensylvanica is a species of flowering plant in the sedge family commonly called Pennsylvania sedge. Other common names include early sedge, common oak sedge, and yellow sedge.
Carex bichenoviana, the plains sedge, is a species of sedge that was first formally named by Francis Boott in 1858. It is native to eastern Australia and has been introduced to New Zealand. It has previously been considered a variety of Carex pumila.
Carex capillacea, common name yellowleaf sedge in Tasmania, is a species of sedge found in Assam, the far east of Russia, New Guinea, south east Australia, New Zealand, Malesia, China, Japan and India.
Carex eburnea, known as ivory sedge, ebony sedge, and bristleleaf or bristle-leaved sedge, is a small and slender sedge native to North America, from Alaska and Newfoundland south to central Mexico.
Carex kobomugi is a species of sedge, known as the Japanese sedge or Asiatic sand sedge, that lives in sandy coastal areas of eastern Asia, and has become an invasive species in the north-eastern United States.
Machaerina juncea, commonly known as bare twig-rush or tussock swamp twig rush, is a sedge in the sedge family, Cyperaceae, that is native to Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia.
Chorizandra cymbaria, commonly known as heron bristle rush or heron bristle sedge, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia.
Cyperus alterniflorus, commonly known as umbrella flat-sedge, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia.
Cyperus congestus, commonly known as dense flat-sedge or clustered flat-sedge, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to southern Africa mostly in South Africa, Lesotho and Namibia.
Cyperus dactylotes is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia.
Cyperus gymnocaulos, commonly known as spiny flatsedge, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia.
Cyperus nutans is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia, and to China, India, Bangladesh, south-east Asia, Malaysia, India, and Indonesia.
Cyperus rigidellus is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia.
Cyperus vaginatus, commonly known as stiff-leaf sedge or stiff flat-sedge, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia.
Cyperus victoriensis, also known as channel nut grass is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia.
Cyperus vorsteri is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae native to southern Africa.
Eleocharis acuta, commonly known as common spikerush or small spikerush, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia.
Fimbristylis littoralis, commonly known as lesser fimbry or lesser fimbristylis, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to many countries in Africa, Asia and Oceania including across much of northern Australia.
Carex brevior, known as shortbeak sedge and plains oval sedge, is a species of sedge native to North America. The specific epithet brevior means "shorter" in Latin.