Carex pendula

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Cladus: Commelinids
Ordo: Poales

Familia: Cyperaceae
Subfamilia: Cyperoideae
Tribus: Cariceae
Genus: Carex
Species: Carex pendula
Name

Carex pendula Huds., Fl. Angl.: 352 (1762).
Synonyms

Homotypic
Trasus pendulus (Huds.) Gray, Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. 2: 65 (1821 publ. 1822).
Manochlaenia pendula (Huds.) Fedde & J.Schust., Just's Bot. Jahresber. 41(2): 11 (1913 publ. 1918).
Heterotypic
Carex maxima Scop., Fl. Carniol., ed. 2, 2: 229 (1772).
Trasus pendulus var. androgynus Gray, Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. 2: 65 (1821 publ. 1822).
Carex myosuroides Lowe, Trans. Cambridge Philos. Soc. 4: 10 (1831), nom. illeg.
Carex pendula var. myosuroides Boott, Ill. Gen. Carex 4: 197 (1867).
Carex pendula f. pallida Asch. & Graebn., Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 2(2): 155 (1903).

Homonyms

Carex pendula Geners., nom. illeg. = Carex capillaris subsp. capillaris
Carex pendula Moench, nom. illeg. = Carex vesicaria L.
Carex pendula Schreb., nom. illeg. = Carex flacca subsp. flacca

Distribution
Native distribution areas:
References
Primary references

Hudson, W. 1762. Flora Anglica, exhibens Plantas per Regnum Angliae sponte crescentes, distributas Secundum Systema Sexuale: cum differentiis specierum, synonymis autorum, nominibus incolarum, solo locorum, tempore florendi, officinalibus pharmacopaeorum.: i–[xvi], 1–506, [i]–xxii. BHL Reference page. : 352.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2020. Carex pendula in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2020 Jan 31. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2020. Carex pendula. Published online. Accessed: Jan 31 2020.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2020. Carex pendula in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2020 Jan 31. Reference page.
Tropicos.org 2020. Carex pendula. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 31 Jan 2020.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Aug 2006 Carex pendula in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.

Vernacular names
dansk: Kæmpe-Star
Deutsch: Hänge-Segge
suomi: Nuokkusara
français: Laîche à épis pendants
Gaeilge: Cíb chrom
hrvatski: Visoki šaš

Carex pendula (pendulous sedge,[1] also known as hanging, drooping or weeping sedge) is a large sedge of the genus Carex. It occurs in woodland, scrubland, hedges and beside streams, preferring damp, heavy clay soils. It is sometimes grown as a garden plant because of its distinctive appearance.

It is native to western, central and southern parts of Europe occurring north to Sweden, Denmark and parts of Scotland where it reaches 58° N. It is also found in north-west Africa, the Azores, Madeira and parts of the Middle East.[2]
Description
Inflorescence: one male spike (left) and four female spikes

Carex pendula is a tall, perennial plant which forms large, dense tufts. It can grow to 1.8 metres, occasionally reaching 2.4 metres. The smooth stems are triangular in cross-section with rounded angles. The long, hairless leaves are yellowish-green above and glaucous below. They are 8–20 mm wide. The simple flowers are borne on long, drooping, catkin-like spikes. There are 1–2 male spikes at the top of the stem with usually 4–5 female spikes below them. The male spikes are 55–160 mm long while the females spikes are 50–260 mm long and 5–7 mm wide. The fruits are green-brown and 3–5 mm long with a 1–2.5-mm beak. The plant typically flowers from May to June and fruits from June to July.

It has been introduced to New Zealand and has begun to spread into the wild in the United States, where it has been recorded from Washington and Virginia.[3]
References

BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
"Carex pendula". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 23 July 2008.

Flora of North America. Carex pendula. Accessed 23 July 2008.

Stace, Clive A. (1997) New Flora of the British Isles, Cambridge University Press.
Tutin, T. G. et al. (1980) Flora Europaea, Volume 5. Cambridge University Press.