False hop sedge
Here is a Carex with a typical inflorescence shape of this large genus. False hop sedge could easily be confused with several other species of Carex. This Carex species is the one of about 70 found in Florida. It is commonly found growing in swamps, river banks, wet hammocks, ditches, and wet clearings throughout the state (Wunderlin, 2003). False hop sedge occurs in the eastern half of the U.S.; and in Ontario and Quebec, Canada as well.
View the herbarium specimen image from the University of Florida Herbarium Digital Imaging Projects.
Hop sedge is a sedge. Stems tuft-forming, 1-4 ft. tall; leaf blades to 1/2 in. wide; sheaths reddish-purple; inflorescenceof 2-6 spikes, each spike 1-21/2 in. long, each spike comprised of numerous spikelets; flowers green, large, to 1/2 in. long, rounded to oblong, comprised of perigynia; perigynia ribbed, beaked, beak tip forked; nutlet 3-angled, rhombic.
