Lyngbye's Sedge

Carex lyngbyei is a sedge species found from Alaska to California, as well as in Greenland and Iceland. It is commonly associated with Pacific coastal salt marshes and prefers brackish water environments with silty sediment. The plant grows from extensive rhizomes, with stems reaching up to over one meter in height. Its reddish brown leaf sheaths are unspotted. The inflorescence consists of stiff, nodding spikes on peduncles. The fruit is enclosed in a yellowish brown perigynium. As a pioneer species, it is among the first to colonize newly formed tidal flats. First described in 1827 by Hornem., it is a widespread and ecologically significant plant in its range.