Carex spicata

Spike - sedge ( Carex spicata )

The spiked sedge ( Carex spicata ), also referred to as Korkfrüchtige sedge, is a member of the family of the Sedge family ( Cyperaceae ).

Appearance

There are monoecious getrenntgeschlechtige plant ( monoecious ). It belongs to the same aged men sedges, in which the spikelets are designed the same way. This almost always contain at both male and female flowers.

The perennial herbaceous plant has no foothills and grows in small to medium-sized clumps. The stem usually grows upright rigid and reaches heights of growth between 20 and 60 cm. He is clearly triangular shaped in the lower part and weakly rough. The Laubblattspreiten usually reach a width of 2 to 4 mm, are smooth or slightly rough and mostly yellowish green. The arc of light ripping Blatthäutchenansatzes is significantly higher than wide.

The root bark is colored purple to black-violet.

The three to ten spikelets are more or less tightly in a 2 to 3 cm long spikes stand together. These are oval shaped and spread out to the fruit time by projecting fruit hoses sharply. The lowermost spikelets may be moved away from the others something.

The lemmas are oval to lanceolate, pale to brownish green. You are keeled greenish. The zweinarbigen fruit hoses are about 4.5 to 5.5 mm long and 2.5 mm wide. They are initially green, later yellow-brown colored and are gradually narrowed into the rather long beak. In the lower third of the tube with a spongy, corky tissue is required. For ripe fruit of this area is separated by a transverse groove from the remaining part of the hose.

From the very similar species savings Fingered Sedge ( Carex muricata ) and Pairas sedge ( Carex pairae ) differs the spiked sedge by the significantly higher Blatthäutchenbogen and the spongy corky fruit hoses.

The spiked sedge blooms mainly in the months of May and June.

Spike - sedge

Spike sedge (stem base )

Spike - sedge ( ligule )

Ear as well as individual fruit hose ( immature )

Habitat requirements and distribution

Carex spicata grows along roadsides, in hedges, in deciduous forests and thickets. It prefers nutrient-rich, fresh and loamy soils.

The species is found throughout Europe. East of it penetrates to West Asia. Furthermore, they can be found in North Africa and as a new citizen ( neophyte ) in North America.

In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the spike - sedge is scattered to fairly widespread before.