Long-stalked Yellow-sedge
Carex lepidocarpa
Long-stalked Yellow-sedge is a plant of base-rich wetlands.
Description/identification
Long-stalked Yellow-sedge grows up to 75cm tall, and as its name suggests, has a single terminal male spike on a long stalk, accompanied by one to three shorter-stalked or stalkless female spikes. The fruits are yellow-green, ovoid in shape, and narrow into curved, split beaks. Its leaves are narrow and usually half as long as the stems (20-50cm).
Habitat
Long-stalked Yellow-sedge grows in base-rich fens, flushes, and lakesides.
Distribution and threats
Long-stalked Yellow-sedge is widespread throughout most of Britain and is therefore listed as Least Concern on the Red Book for Great Britain and England. However, it is less common in southern and central England and is listed as a rare plant within Oxfordshire, with only six sites recorded since 2010.