Stiff Sedge

Carex biltmoreana is a rare, southern Appalachian Mountain endemic (L. L. Gaddy 1983).

Plants loosely cespitose, short-rhizomatous, shoots less than 2.5 cm apart. Culms 30–75 cm, smooth to finely scabrous distally. Leaves: proximal sheaths with or without blades, reddish purple tinged, 3–6.5 mm diam.; ligules 2.5–12 mm, more than 2 times longer than wide; blades of vegetative culms 12–50 cm, evergreen, those of fertile culms green, flat to revolute, 5–20 cm × 3.5–6 mm, herbaceous. Inflorescences 16–32 cm, 1–1.6 times longer than proximal bract; proximal bract 8–19 cm, sheath 1.5–5 cm, blade 7–14 cm; pistillate spikes linear or linear-oblong, 1.5–3.5 cm × 3–8 mm; lateral spikes erect or ascending on stiff peduncles. Pistillate scales purple-brown, apex obtuse or short-awned, frequently papillose. Perigynia ascending to spreading, loosely to densely arranged, greenish, 2.5–3.5 × 1.5–2.25 mm, faintly papillose; beak 0–0.7 mm, often bent. Achenes yellowish brown, 1.8–2.5 × 1.4–1.6 mm.

Ga., N.C., S.C.

Fruiting early summer.

Rocky woods, moist rock faces, granite balds, cliff ledges; of conservation concern; 850–1600m.

Carex biltmoreana, known as Biltmore sedge, is a species of sedge that was first described by Kenneth Mackenzie in 1910. It is endemic to the southeastern United States, where it occurs in southwestern North Carolina, northwestern South Carolina, and northeastern Georgia. Biltmore sedge grows on rock outcrops, often on granite, and in adjacent woodlands.