Carex

Carex
Carex halleriana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
(unranked):	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Cyperaceae
Genus:	Carex L.
Species
See text

Carex rostrata

Carex is a genus of plants in the family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges (although other, related species are also called sedges, those of genus Carex may be called "true" sedges). It is the most species-rich genus in the family Cyperaceae. The study of Carex is known as caricology. The term "caricology" derives from Latin: "caricologia." The eminent botanist Carl Ludwig Willdenow published the 107-page book "Caricologia, sive descriptiones omnium specierum caricis, in usum excursionum botanicarum pro amicis seorsim impressa..." in 1805. Also, David Heinrich Hoppe published the 104-page book "Caricologia germanica oder Aufzahlung der in Deutschland wildwachsenden Riedgraser" in 1826.^{[citation needed]}

Carex atrofusca

The genus was established by Carolus Linnaeus in his work Species Plantarum in 1753. Estimates of the number of species vary from about 1100 to almost 2000 ^[1]. Their distribution is global, usually traceable through paleophytogeography, such as strong phylogenetic relationships between many Gondwanaland species.

Carex praecox

Most (but not all) sedges are found in wetlands (e.g. marshes, calcareous fens, bogs and other peatlands, pond edges, and even ditches), where they are often the dominant vegetation. C. muricata is a rare species which occurs in only a handful of locations within England, and consequently is a protected species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.^[2]

Carex spissa

Carex grayi

Selected species

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Carex

• CYPERACEAE Interactive Identification Keys @ LSU Herbarium
• Carex images on MorphBank, a biological image database
• Interactive Identification Key to CAREX @ LSU Herbarium

References

1. ^ Anthony Darrouzet-Nardi (2003-05-05). "Systematics of the genus Carex". http://anthony.darrouzet-nardi.net/works/carex.html. 
2. ^ UKBAP. "Action Plan for Carex muricata". http://www.ukbap.org.uk/UKPlans.aspx?ID=190. Retrieved 2007-05-06. 
3. ^ USDA NCRS. "Carex haydeniana (cloud sedge)". United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NCRS), PLANTS Database. Accessed June 30, 2007.