Oval-Headed Sedge (Carex cephalophora Muhl. ex Willd.)
Also known as short-headed bracted sedge, oval-leaf sedge, capitate sedge.
↑Range - Expand
| Legend | Color |
| Native | |
| Native or Not Present |
This tentative map is based on our own research. It may have limited data on Canada and/or Mexico, and there is some subjectivity in our assignment of plants as introduced vs. expanded. Read more in this blog post.
Although this plant occurs somewhere in each of these regions, it may only occur in a small part of some or all of them.
↑Habitat
Carex cephalophora is found in a wide range of sunny to partly-shaded habitats and is fairly generalist in its habitat preferences. Natural habitats include open upland woods (especially oak and oak-hickory forest), savannas, openings and edges in forests. In the cooler and more humid parts of its range in the north and at higher elevations, it can also be found on rocky ridgetops, ledges, or talus slopes. Throughout its range it is also frequent in anthropogenic habitats including grassy areas along roadsides, abandoned fields, pastures, lawns, and miscellaneous waste ground. It can survive and even reproduce on sites with regular mowing.
It tolerates a wide range of soil textures including loam, clay-loam, sandy, and rocky soils. In most of its range, it prefers mesic to slightly dry conditions, and sites that have experienc regular disturbance.
Humans have increased the habitat for this species through mowing and through the creation of more open habitats.
↑Life Cycle
This species is a perennial sedge with a clumping habit, that develops earlier than most sedges in its range. It usually begins blooming in mid-spring, but if the flowering stalk is killed such as by mowing or herbivory, it will usually send up a second flowering stalk during summer. Its size is highly variable based on conditions.
↑Uses
This species is occasionally used in native plant plantings and is probably under-utilized for this purpose.
↑Notes
We recommend against the use of the term "capitate sedge" because it more frequently refers to capitate sedge (Carex capitata) or arctic sedge (Carex arctogena) which was recently split off from that species.
↑Links & External Resources
• Carex cephalophora (Capitate Sedge) | Illinois Wildflowers (About This Site)
• Carex cephalophora (oval-leaf sedge) | USDA PLANTS Database (About This Site)
• Carex cephalophora | Go Botany (About This Site)
• Carex cephalophora | Biota of North America Project (BONAP) (About This Site)
• Carex cephalophora | NatureServe Explorer (About This Site)
• Carex cephalophora | Flora of North America (About This Site)
• Oval-leaf Sedge | Maryland Biodiversity Project (About This Site)
• Carex cephalophora Muhl. ex Willd. (Oval-leaved Sedge) | Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora (About This Site)
