# Long-stalked Yellow-sedge (*Carex lepidocarpa*) The Long-stalked Yellow-sedge is a tall, grassy plant that grows in wet places. It has long, slender leaves and produces yellowish flowers that attract tiny insects. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Long-stalked Yellow-sedge](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Carex_lepidocarpa.jpeg&width=800) Photo: Kristian Peters -- Fabelfroh 07:36, 28 June 2007 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carex_lepidocarpa.jpeg) ## Appearance The Long-stalked Yellow-sedge has bright green, grass-like leaves that grow in dense clumps. Its most distinctive feature is its slender, tall stems (stalks) topped with small, yellow-brown flower spikelets. These spikelets give the plant its 'yellow' name and sway gently in the breeze. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Poales - **Family:** Cyperaceae - **Genus:** Carex ## Interesting facts - Its triangular stem feels different from round grass stems, a cool way to tell them apart! - This sedge is like a wetland engineer, helping to clean water naturally as it grows! - Tiny seeds of the Long-stalked Yellow-sedge can float on water, riding currents to new places! - You can find this plant happily growing in places that are wet year-round, like sponges of nature! ## Special abilities - **Water-Wise Roots:** Long-stalked Yellow-sedge has specialized roots that help it absorb nutrients and oxygen even in waterlogged, soggy soil. - **Wind Whispers:** Long-stalked Yellow-sedge can release tiny pollen grains into the wind, helping it reproduce without needing animal visitors. - **Sturdy Stalks:** Long-stalked Yellow-sedge has long, tough stems that help its flowers catch the wind and stand tall in wetland breezes. - **Erosion Shield:** Long-stalked Yellow-sedge can grow in dense clumps, and its roots help hold wetland soil together, preventing it from washing away. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 20-50 cm - **Spread:** 15-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [European Water Vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-water-vole) (*Arvicola terrestris*) — Volves munch on its roots and stems. - **Eaten by:** Mallard (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — Ducks may eat its small seeds. - **Shelter:** Marsh Wolf Spider (*Pardosa amentata*) — Sedge clumps provide cover for spiders. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants without asking an adult, as some may not be safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Long-stalked Yellow-sedge? Compare seed heads, stem shape, how leaves attach, and the joint where leaf meets stem. A patch of mown lawn rarely shows enough for an exact ID. Grass Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Long-stalked Yellow-sedge? 20-50 cm ### How wide does Long-stalked Yellow-sedge spread? 15-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on Long-stalked Yellow-sedge? 0.5-1.5 cm ### When does Long-stalked Yellow-sedge bloom? Late spring to summer ### Is Long-stalked Yellow-sedge edible? No ### Is Long-stalked Yellow-sedge toxic? None ### What is Long-stalked Yellow-sedge's lifecycle? Perennial ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Long-stalked Yellow-sedge: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/long-stalked-yellow-sedge)