 Photo ©
Carl Farmer |
Rare but conspicuous, by moorland pools or lochs Plant to 2.5 m tall. Leaves 10-18 mm wide. Fruits c 3 mm long, in spikelets c 2-4 mm long, which are in clusters 5-10 mm wide. 1-4 flowers/fruits per spikelet, 3-10 spikelets per cluster. Skye ID: Leaves saw-toothed on the margins and on the midrib below. Inflorescence a panicle of spikelet-clusters. Picture on left shows inflorescence just beginning to open: when fully open the dark brown clusters are on the ends of panicle-branches. The clusters are roughy globular in shape and not like the spikes of Carex species. Other features: A very tall sedge forming large stands visible from a distance (see bottom picture). Glumes pale brown, the lower 2-3 in each spikelet small and empty. Fruit dark brown. Like all non-Carex sedges (on Skye) the flowers are hermaphrodite and all of one kind, whereas in Carex they are male or female and visibly different. |
