Family |
Cyperaceae
Carex distans
L.
Carex distans L.
(Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 2: 1263; 1759 – Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 1, Pl. LVI nº 3; 1966)
• Life-form & habit: Perennial, rhizomatous sedge forming loose tufts or small patches, 20–60 cm tall. Stems slender, trigonous, smooth below and slightly rough above. Rhizomes creeping, long, producing distant shoots — the origin of the epithet distans.
• Leaves: Basal and cauline leaves narrow, linear, 2–4 mm wide, grey-green, flat or slightly channelled, shorter than or equalling the stem; margins scabrid toward the apex. Sheaths pale brown, membranous at the mouth.
• Inflorescence & flowers: Terminal inflorescence compound, 3–6 cm long, with 3–5 remote spikes. Upper spike male (staminate), linear, erect, brownish; lateral spikes female (pistillate), ovoid to cylindrical, 1–2 cm long, on slender peduncles partly enclosed in the upper sheaths. Bracts leafy, lower exceeding the inflorescence. Glumes ovate, acute, brown with green midrib. Utricles ovate-lanceolate, 3–4 mm long, laterally compressed, tapering to a short bifid beak; nerveless or faintly nerved. Style 2-fid; stigmas 2.
• Fruit: Achene lenticular, enclosed within the utricle, smooth and shining, 1.5 mm long.
• Phenology: Flowers and fruits from April to July.
• Habitat & elevation: Wet meadows, stream margins, marshy depressions, and damp pastures; prefers open, sunny habitats on moist to wet clay or peaty soils, from sea level up to 1 800 m.
• Lebanese distribution: Reported by Mouterde from humid montane valleys of Mount Lebanon — particularly around Barouk, Dahr el-Baïdar, Ain Zhalta, and Nahr es-Safa; locally frequent in spring-fed or seasonally wet areas.
• Native to: Albania, Algeria, Austria, Azores, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Russia, China North-Central, Corse, Cyprus, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, East Aegean Is., East European Russia, Egypt, Eritrea, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Morocco, Netherlands, North Caucasus, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sardegna, Saudi Arabia, Sicilia, Sinai, South European Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine, Yemen (POWO).
• Introduced into: Maryland, Pennsylvania (POWO).
• ⚠️ Taxonomic note: A widespread Eurasian sedge readily identified by its remote female spikes, elongated peduncles, and narrow, grey-green leaves. It is often confused with Carex divulsa Stokes but differs by its more distinctly spaced spikes and thinner, more delicate utricles. In Lebanon, C. distans occurs in montane wetlands and spring-fed grasslands, often in association with Juncus inflexus, Scirpus holoschoenus, and Iris pseudacorus.