Stiff sedge (Carex bigelowii, Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 1: 67 (1824))

Family: Cyperaceae

Author: Torr. ex Schwein.

Bibliography: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 1: 67 (1824)

Year: 1824

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Carex

Vegetable: False

Observations: Subarctic to N. U.S.A., Himalaya

Description

Stiff sedge, scientifically known as Carex bigelowii, is a resilient and adaptive plant species that belongs to the Cyperaceae family. This formidable sedge thrives predominantly in subarctic regions extending to the northern United States and also finds a home amidst the diverse landscapes of the Himalayas.

Renowned for its robust and rigid structure, Stiff sedge has been a subject of botanical studies since the early 19th century. The first formal description can be traced back to an 1824 publication in the Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York, authored by the notable botanists Torrey and Schweinitz.

The plant’s adaptability to extreme and varied climatic conditions highlights its ecological significance. It often forms part of the tundra and alpine meadows, characterizing these biomes with its dense tussocks and dark green foliage. The survival and propagation of Carex bigelowii in such harsh environments speak to its extraordinary ecological strategy and contribution to the floristic composition of the regions it inhabits.

In these subarctic and Himalayan landscapes, Stiff sedge plays a crucial role in soil stabilization and providing habitat for a variety of wildlife. Its presence is indeed a testament to the resilience of life in some of the planet’s most challenging climates.

Common Names

Eng: bigelow’s sedge, stiff sedge
Nob: stivstarr
Nno: stivstorr
Swe: styvstarr, tunturisara
Fin: tunturisara
Fra: carex de bigelow
Sme: skážerlukti, duottarguodja
Cym: hesgen anystwyth, hesgen ddu alpaidd
En: Stiff sedge, Bigelow’s sedge, Bigelow sedge, Gwanmo sedge
Cs: Ostřice Bigelowova
Fi: Tunturisara
Fr: Carex de Bigelow
De: Starre Segge
Is: Stinnastör
Ko: 갈미사초
Se: Skážerlukti, Duottarguodja
Nb: Stivstarr
Nn: Stivstorr
Fa: کارکس بیگلووی
Pl: Turzyca tęga
Ru: Осока Бигелоу
Sv: Styvstarr, Tunturisara
Cy: Hesgen anystwyth, Hesgen Ddu Alpaidd

Synonyms

• Carex rigida var. bigelowii ((Torr. ex Schwein.) Tuck.)
• Carex saxatilis var. bigelowii ((Torr. ex Schwein.) Torr.)

Distribution

• Alaska (native)
• Aleutian Is. (native)
• Altay (native)
• British Columbia (native)
• Buryatiya (native)
• China North-Central (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• Greenland (native)
• Iceland (native)
• Inner Mongolia (native)
• Irkutsk (native)
• Japan (native)
• Kamchatka (native)
• Korea (native)
• Krasnoyarsk (native)
• Labrador (native)
• Magadan (native)
• Maine (native)
• Manitoba (native)
• Mongolia (native)
• Nepal (native)
• New Brunswick (native)
• New Hampshire (native)
• New York (native)
• Newfoundland (native)
• North European Russi (native)
• Northwest Territorie (native)
• Norway (native)
• Nunavut (native)
• Ontario (native)
• Primorye (native)
• Qinghai (native)
• Québec (native)
• Saskatchewan (native)
• Svalbard (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Tibet (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Tuva (native)
• Vermont (native)
• West Siberia (native)
• Xinjiang (native)
• Yakutskiya (native)
• Yukon (native)

Additional Images

Fruit

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Encyclopedia of Life (cc-by-nc)

Taken Jul 4, 1995 by Andrew Gagg (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Encyclopedia of Life (cc-by-nc)

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Encyclopedia of Life (cc-by-nc)

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Encyclopedia of Life (cc-by-nc)

Flower

Taken Aug 6, 2015 by Andrzej Pasierbinski (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Encyclopedia of Life (cc-by-nc)

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Encyclopedia of Life (cc-by-nc)

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Encyclopedia of Life (cc-by-nc)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2722383)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:45854-2)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Carex bigelowii Torr. ex Schwein.)

Specifications

Growth form: Stoloniferous

Growth habit: Graminoid

Growth rate: Moderate

Growth

Ph maximum: 6.4

Ph minimum: 4.8