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Carex intumescens Rudge

Bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassLiliopsidaMonocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
SubclassCommelinidaeDayflowers and spiderworts, and several others
OrderCyperalesFlowering plants including grasses
FamilyCyperaceaeSedge family
GenusCarexThe “true” sedges
SpeciesintumescensLatin for “swollen”

About plant names...

Bladder sedge is a North American native. Often found near water, it is also found at forest edges.

Plant: These small grass-like plants are typically less than 1′ (30 cm) high.

Leaves: Leaves are dark, parallel-veined, 4-10″ (10-25 cm) long, ⅛-¼″ (3.5-8 mm) wide.

Flowers/seeds: During April-June, curiously shaped inflorescences appear, roughly spherical or corncob-shaped, ¾-6″ (2-15 cm) long, looking like several green teardrops connected at the fat end, pointing in all directions. Each teardrop is a perigynium up to ⅝″ (1.6 cm) long, containing a seed (achene) about ⅛″ (5 mm) long. The perigynia are larger than most, an aid to identifcation.

Carex intumescens is sometimes confused with C. folliculata, but the perigynia of the latter aren’t as fat.

Online References:

YouTube Video footage

Lsa-miflora-p.lsait.lsa.umich.eduspecies.aspx

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

EFloras

References:

Arsenault, Matt; Mittelhauser, Glen H.; Cameron, Don; Dibble, Alison C.; Haines, Arthur; Rooney, Sally C.; and Weber, Jill E., Sedges of Maine: A Field Guide to Cyperaceae, University of Maine Press, 2013, p. 326

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

6/14/2019 · J. Harry Rich Trail, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

6/26/2014 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 8 × 6″ (20 × 14 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

8/18/2010 · J. Harry Rich Woods, off Nod Rd., Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

6/26/2014 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 15 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

9/29/2016 · Henry E. Cowdrey Nature Center, Lunenberg, Mass­a­chu­setts

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

5/31/2016 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 15 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

6/13/2021 · Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (11 × 17 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

6/14/2019 · J. Harry Rich Trail, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

6/2/2010 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

6/2/2010 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (15 × 23 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

5/31/2016 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

6/2/2010 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (14 × 22 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 7 × 11″ (18 × 27 cm)

Carex intumescens Rudge var. fernaldii L.H. Bailey

 

Carex intumescens description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 14 Sep 2023.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.


 

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

6/13/2021 · Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

5/31/2016 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

5/31/2016 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 3½ × 5″ (9.2 × 13 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

7/3/2023 · Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Penn­syl­vania

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

7/23/2017 · Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Penn­syl­vania · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

6/15/2012 · Townsend State Forest, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (11 × 17 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

7/29/2023 · Highlands Trails, Topsham, Maine

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

10/18/2023 · Highlands Trails, Topsham, Maine

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

7/23/2017 · Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Penn­syl­vania · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

7/23/2017 · Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Penn­syl­vania · ≈ 4 × 6″ (11 × 16 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

7/3/2023 · Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Penn­syl­vania

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

7/29/2023 · Highlands Trails, Topsham, Maine

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

5/20/2012 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 17 × 12″ (44 × 29 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

6/13/2021 · Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)

Carex intumescens (bladder sedge, greater bladder sedge, shining bur sedge, swollen sedge)

6/2/2013 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 16 cm)

Range:

About this map...