Tall Sedge and related species - natives.
(Carex appressa, C. tereticaulis and C. incomitata)
Species: Tall Sedge (Carex appressa), Rush Sedge (Carex tereticaulis) and Hillside Sedge (Carex incomitata).
Other names for Rush Sedge: Poong'ort, Basket Sedge.
Family: Cyperaceae (Sedge family).
Natives of Australia.
Occurrence: Tall Sedge and Rush Sedge are both common and widespread. Hillside Sedge is uncommon in Central Victoria.
The three sedges are similar in general appearance. Tall Sedge and Rush Sedge usually grow in damp places e.g. seasonally damp areas, beside streams, swamps and dams. Hillside Sedge can grow in drier areas and away from water.
Identification:
- they form dense tussocks with coarse, grasslike leaves
- the flowers are on the upper part of the stems
- the leaves have tiny prickles along the edges
- they grow to a metre or more high.
Rush Sedge has a round (cylindrical) flower stalk. The flower clusters are usually shorter than those of Tall Sedge.
The stalks of Tall and Hillside Sedges are triangular in cross section. The leaves have small prickles along the edges. Near the top of the leaves, prickles on Tall Sedge point upwards and the prickles of Hillside Sedge point downwards. The direction of the tiny prickles can be felt (with extreme caution).
Tall Sedge is the most common of the three sedges. Tall Sedge and Rush Sedge may grow together. They can be readily propagated from seed, and are hardy plants, very suitable for revegetation work in damp places.
1. Hillside Sedge. Garden specimen.
2. Dried flowers of Tall Sedge. Kalimna Reserve, Castlemaine.
3. Dried flowers of Rush Sedge. Smiths Reef.
4. Tall Sedge, growing in a water race, Chewton. 5: Rush Sedge. Leopold.