About Carex appalachica J.M.Webber & P.W.Ball
Carex appalachica, commonly called the Appalachian sedge, is a species of flowering plant in the sedge family Cyperaceae. It is native to the eastern temperate forests of the United States and Canada. This species is a member of the large sedge genus Carex, and falls within the Carex rosea complex of the subgenus Vignea.
Across its range, Appalachian sedge is widespread across the northeastern United States and southern Canada. In the southern end of its range, it is generally only found at high elevations. Its full range extends from southern Canada and New England west to Ohio, and south along the Appalachians and Ridge and Valley region to Georgia and Alabama. This plant is somewhat common throughout the northeastern United States, and quite common across the central and western portions of its range. It becomes rarer in the northern part of its range in Canada, and is rare at the southern end of its range. It is listed as rare with a conservation status of S1 in Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia (listed as S1? in Georgia), and S2 in South Carolina.
In terms of ecology, in the southeastern United States, this species is most often found in rocky open woods, rock outcrops, and heath balds. Further north, it favors dry woodlands and slopes. It typically flowers and produces fruit between May and June.
