Photo by Daniel C. Nepstad

Key Characteristics

Small clumped sedge (10-40 cm) of alvar; leaves V-shaped in cross section; one spike per culm, male and female spikelets on separate culms; perigynia pubescent and reddish-brown in color.

Status and Rank

• State Status: T - Threatened (legally protected)
• State Rank: S2 - Imperiled
• Global Rank: G5 - Secure

Occurrences

County Name	Number of Occurrences	Year Last Observed
Alpena	1	1981
Chippewa	9	2001
Delta	2	1990
Keweenaw	1	1890
Mackinac	2	1998
Presque Isle	1	1999

Information is summarized from MNFI's database of rare species and community occurrences. Data may not reflect true distribution since much of the state has not been thoroughly surveyed.

Natural Community Types

• Alvar
• Northern fen

Associated Plants

Beauty sedge, ebony sedge, dwarf lake iris, butterwort, northern white cedar, Arkansas mint, Kalm's lobelia, Houghton's goldenrod, butterwort, ragwort, horizontal juniper, white cedar, white and black spruce, tamarack, little bluestem, prairie dropseed, cat's foot, Canadian milk vetch, harebell, sedges, Indian paintbrush, field chickweed, bastard toad flax, grass, hair grass, prairie smoke, bee-balm, shrubby cinquefoil, and old field goldenrod.

Management

Primary management need is protection from excessive foot traffic and ORVs. The species thrives along shorelines under natural disturbance regimes.

General Survey Guidelines

Random meander search covers areas that appear likely to have rare taxa, based on habitat and the judgement of the investigator.

Survey Methods

• Meander search

  Survey Period: From first week of June to fourth week of August

References

Survey References

• Elzinga, C.L., D.W. Salzer, and J.W. Willoughby. 1998. Measuring and Monitoring Plant Populations. The Nature Conservancy and Bureau of Land Management, Denver. BLM Technical Reference 1730-1. 477pp.

• Goff, G.F., G.A. Dawson, and J.J. Rochow. 1982. Site examination for Threatened and Endangered plant species. Environmental Management 6(4): 307-316

• Nelson, J.R. 1984. Rare Plant Field Survey Guidelines. In: J.P. Smith and R. York. Inventory of rare and endangered vascular plants of California. 3rd Ed. California Native Plant Society, Berkeley. 174pp.

• Nelson, J.R. 1986. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques For Impact Assessment. Natural Areas Journal 5(3):18-30.

• Nelson, J.R. 1987. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques for Impact Assessment. In: Conservation and management of rare and endangered plants. Ed. T.S. Elias. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 8pp.

Technical References

• Flora of North America Editorial Committee. 2002. Flora of North America, North of Mexico. Volume 23: Magnoliaphyta: Commelinidae (in part): Cyperaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. 608pp.

• Gleason, H. A., and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second edition. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 910pp.

• Gray, A. 1950. Gray's Manual of Botany; eighth ed. Van Nostrand Reinghold, New York. 1632pp.

• Holmgren, N.H. 1998. Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual. Illustrations of the vascular plants of Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 937pp.

• Voss, E. G. 1972. Michigan Flora. Part I. Gymnosperms and Monocots. Bulletin of the Cranbrook Institute of Science and University of Michigan Herbarium. 488pp.

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