Carex spicata Spiked Sedge

A densly tufted sedge which occurs on roadsides, grassy verges and ruderal habitats. It can be confused with lots of other sedges such as Grey Sedge (Carex divulsa), Prickly Sedge (Carex muricata) and small forms of False Fox-sedge (Carex otrubae). Good field characters are the wine-red colour of the stem base, the long, acute ligule, the bulbous, corky base and narrow beak of the utricles and the long-pointed (acuminate) female glumes which give the spikelets a shaggy appearance. It is widespread and fairly common in southern Britain and south Wales. Thare are scattered records in West Glamorgan particularly in Neath Port Talbot, but it is uncommon in Gower.

Native