Carex is a vast genus of over 2,000 species[ of grass-like in the family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges (or seg, in older books). Other members of the family Cyperaceae are also called sedges; however, those of genus Carex may be called true sedges. Carex is the most species-rich genus in the family. The study of Carex is known as caricology.
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Description
All species of Carex are perennial plant,
The leaf of Carex comprise a blade, which extends away from the stalk, and a sheath, which encloses part of the stalk. The blade is normally long and flat, but may be folded, inrolled, channelled or absent. The leaves have parallel leaf vein and a distinct midrib. Where the blade meets the culm there is a structure called the ligule.
The flowers of Carex are small and are combined into spikes, which are themselves combined into a larger inflorescence. The spike typically contains many flowers, but can hold as few as one in some species. Almost all Carex species are monoecious; each flower is either male (staminate) or female (pistillate).
The defining structure of the genus Carex is the bottle-shaped bract surrounding each female flower. This structure is called the perigynium or utricle, a modified prophyll. It is typically extended into a "rostrum" or beak, which is often divided at the tip (bifid) into two teeth.
The fruit of Carex is a dry, one-seeded indehiscent achene or nut
Ecology and distribution
Carex species are found across most of the world, albeit with few species in tropical lowlands, and relatively few in sub-Saharan Africa.
Taxonomy and cytogenetics
The genus Carex was established by Carl Linnaeus in his work Species Plantarum in 1753, and it is one of the largest genera of flowering plants.
The genomes of Carex kokanica, Carex parvula and Carex littledalei have been sequenced.
Carex has been divided into subgenus in a number of ways. The most influential was Georg Kükenthal's classification using four subgenera – Carex, Vignea, Indocarex and Primocarex – based primarily on the arrangement of the male and female flowers.
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Carex subg. Carex – 1450 species, distributed globally
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Carex subg. Psyllophora (Degl.) Peterm. (equivalent to Kükenthal's " Primocarex") – 70 species
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Carex subg. Vignea (P. Beauv. ex T. Lestib.) Peterm. – 350 species, cosmopolitan
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Carex subg. Vigneastra (Tuckerman) Kükenthal (equivalent to Kükenthal's " Indocarex"
Fossil record
Several fossil fruits of two Carex species have been described from strata of the middle Miocene in the Fasterholt area near Silkeborg in Central Jutland, Denmark.[Angiosperm Fruits and Seeds from the Middle Miocene of Jutland (Denmark) by Else Marie Friis, The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters 24:3, 1985]
Uses
Ornamental
Carex species and are popular in horticulture, particularly in shady positions.
The Carex elata 'Aurea' (Bowles' golden sedge)
Other uses
A mix of dried specimens of several species of Carex (including Carex vesicaria) have a history of being used as thermal insulation in footwear (such as nutukas used by Sámi people
Species serve as a food source for numerous animals,
Use by Native Americans
The Blackfoot put carex in moccasins to protect the feet during winter.[Johnston, Alex, 1987, Plants and the Blackfoot, Lethbridge, Alberta. Lethbridge Historical Society, page 22] The Cherokee use an infusion of the leaf to "check bowels".[Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey, 1975, Cherokee Plants and Their Uses -- A 400 Year History, Sylva, N.C. Herald Publishing Co., page 54] The Ohlone use the roots of many species for basketry.[Bocek, Barbara R., 1984, Ethnobotany of Costanoan Indians, California, Based on Collections by John P. Harrington, Economic Botany 38(2):240-255, page 255] The Goshute use the root as medicine.[Chamberlin, Ralph V., 1911, The Ethno-Botany of the Gosiute Indians of Utah, Memoirs of the American Anthropological Association 2(5):331-405., page 365] The Jemez consider the plant sacred and use it in the kiva.[Cook, Sarah Louise, 1930, The Ethnobotany of Jemez Indians., University of New Mexico, M.A. Thesis, page 21] The Klamath people weave the leaves into mats, use the juice of the pith as a beverage, eat the fresh stems for food and use the tuberous base of the stem for food.[Coville, Frederick V., 1897, Notes On The Plants Used By The Klamath Indians Of Oregon., Contributions from the U.S. National Herbarium 5(2):87-110, page 92] The indigenous people of Mendocino County, California use the rootstocks to make baskets and rope.[Chestnut, V. K., 1902, Plants Used by the Indians of Mendocino County, California, Contributions from the U.S. National Herbarium 7:295-408., page 314] The indigenous people of Montana also weave the leaves into mats and use the young stems as food.[Blankinship, J. W., 1905, Native Economic Plants of Montana, Bozeman. Montana Agricultural College Experimental Station, Bulletin 56, page 9] The Navajo of Kayenta, Arizona grind the seeds into mush and eat them.[Wyman, Leland C. and Stuart K. Harris, 1951, The Ethnobotany of the Kayenta Navaho, Albuquerque. The University of New Mexico Press, page 16] The Oregon Paiute weave it to make spoons.[Mahar, James Michael., 1953, Ethnobotany of the Oregon Paiutes of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, Reed College, B.A. Thesis, page 52] The Pomo use the roots to make baskets,[Merriam, C. Hart, 1966, Ethnographic Notes on California Indian Tribes, University of California Archaeological Research Facility, Berkeley, page 296][Gifford, E. W., 1967, Ethnographic Notes on the Southwestern Pomo, Anthropological Records 25:10-15, page 11] and use it to tend fishing traps.[Gifford, E. W., 1967, Ethnographic Notes on the Southwestern Pomo, Anthropological Records 25:10-15, page 12] They also use it to make torches.[Turner, Nancy Chapman and Marcus A. M. Bell, 1971, The Ethnobotany of the Coast Salish Indians of Vancouver Island, I and II, Economic Botany 25(1):63-104, 335-339, page 73] The Songhees eat the leaves to induce abortions.[Turner, Nancy J., Laurence C. Thompson and M. Terry Thompson et al., 1990, Thompson Ethnobotany: Knowledge and Usage of Plants by the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, Victoria. Royal British Columbia Museum, page 114] The Wailaki weave the roots and leaves into baskets and use the leaves to weave mats.[Chestnut, V. K., 1902, Plants Used by the Indians of Mendocino County, California, Contributions from the U.S. National Herbarium 7:295-408., page 315] The Yuki people use the large roots to make baskets.[Curtin, L. S. M., 1957, Some Plants Used by the Yuki Indians ... II. Food Plants, The Masterkey 31:85-94, page 93]
See also
External links
